Legislative Malfeasance and Political Accountability

2010 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric C. C. Chang ◽  
Miriam A. Golden ◽  
Seth J. Hill
Keyword(s):  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Political Accountability ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Political Careers ◽  
Electoral Accountability ◽  
The Public ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Independent Judiciary ◽  
The Press ◽  
Judicial Investigation

Utilizing a unique data set from the Italian Ministry of Justice reporting the transmission to the Chamber of Deputies of more than the thousand requests for the removal of parliamentary immunity from deputies suspected of criminal wrongdoing, the authors analyze the political careers of members of the Chamber during the first eleven postwar legislatures (1948–94). They find that judicial investigation typically did not discourage deputies from standing for reelection in Italy's large multimember electoral districts. They also show that voters did not punish allegedly malfeasant legislators with loss of office until the last (Eleventh) legislature in the sample. To account for the dramatic change in voter behavior that occurred in the early 1990s, the investigation focuses on the roles of the judiciary and the press. The results are consistent with a theory that a vigilant and free press is a necessary condition for political accountability in democratic settings. An independent judiciary alone is ineffective in ensuring electoral accountability if the public is not informed of political malfeasance.

New Modes of Governance, Political Accountability and Public Reason

2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Weale
Keyword(s):  
Public Reason ◽  
White Paper ◽  
Political Accountability ◽  
Electoral Accountability ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Reasoning ◽  
European Governance ◽  
Policy Deliberation ◽  
Modes Of Governance ◽  
New Modes Of Governance

AbstractNew modes of governance are said to create problems of political accountability. To understand this claim, we need a theory of accountability. Electoral accountability provides authorization and sanction, but it neglects the problems entailed in the requirement to provide explanation and justification. Political accountability in this discursive sense can be understood through the idea of public reason, where this is defined in terms of substantive rationality and an orientation to the public interest. This conceptualization leads in turn to the requirement of replicability and openness in public reasoning. The problem of accountability is one of securing the conditions under which the institutions within which policy deliberation takes place can merit the confidence of citizens in these terms, and the Commission White Paper on European governance is used to illustrate the application of these tests.

Does Foundation Giving Stimulate or Suppress Private Giving? Evidence from a Panel of Canadian Charities

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 382-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iryna Khovrenkov
Keyword(s):  
Economic Theory ◽  
Social Welfare ◽  
Public Good ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Public ◽  
Private Giving ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Private Donations ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Canadian Charities

As non-governmental providers of public goods, charities are funded by governments and also by individuals and foundations. How do foundation grants to charities affect private donations to these organizations? The standard economic theory on voluntary contributions to the public good hypothesizes that foundation giving will crowd out private donations. An alternative giving dynamic may arise whereby foundations act as complements to private donations because they can provide a signal of charity quality to individuals and thereby influence their decisions to give. This article offers a rigorous empirical analysis of the relationship between foundation and private donations by utilizing a unique data set on Canadian social welfare and community charities matched with their foundation donors. Empirical findings confirm that an additional dollar of foundation grants to charities crowds in private giving by three dollars on average, suggesting that private donors may look to foundation grants for information on charities to make informed giving decisions.

scholarly journals Quantifying the Endogeneity in Online Donations

Entropy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 1667
Author(s):  
Peng Wang ◽  
Jinyi Li ◽  
Yinjie Ma ◽  
Zhiqiang Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Branching Ratio ◽  
Severe Illness ◽  
Event Data ◽  
Feedback Process ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Hawkes Processes ◽  
The Public ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Online Donations

Charitable crowdfunding provides a new channel for people and families suffering from unforeseen events, such as accidents, severe illness, and so on, to seek help from the public. Thus, finding the key determinants which drive the fundraising process of crowdfunding campaigns is of great importance, especially for those suffering. With a unique data set containing 210,907 crowdfunding projects covering a period from October 2015 to June 2020, from a famous charitable crowdfunding platform, specifically Qingsong Chou, we will reveal how many online donations are due to endogeneity, referring to the positive feedback process of attracting more people to donate through broadcasting campaigns in social networks by donors. For this aim, we calibrate three different Hawkes processes to the event data of online donations for each crowdfunding campaign on each day, which allows us to estimate the branching ratio, a measure of endogeneity. It is found that the online fundraising process works in a sub-critical state and nearly 70–90% of the online donations are endogenous. Furthermore, even though the fundraising amount, number of donations, and number of donors decrease rapidly after the crowdfunding project is created, the measure of endogeneity remains stable during the entire lifetime of crowdfunding projects. Our results not only deepen our understanding of online fundraising dynamics but also provide a quantitative framework to disentangle the endogenous and exogenous dynamics in complex systems.

scholarly journals Deterrence Theory in Paraguay: An Exploratory Study

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
White Collar Crime ◽  
White Collar ◽  
Deterrence Theory ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Public ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Side Result

This research paper contributes to the literature of deterrence theory in general, and in particular with respect to white-collar crime, offering valuable inside by using a unique data set of fraud and violation of trust incidents for Paraguay. Descriptive evidence show a clear and continuous misallocation of funds and human capital, and therefore providing less efficient services for the public. Regression analysis suggests that clearance rate exerts a highly significant effect in deterring fraud but results are not clear for violation of trust incidents. Despite the limitations of available data, results confirm deterrence theory in Paraguay. However, to more than two-thirds of victims, not even the attempt was made to seek justice. As a side-result, it seems that a soft on crime strategy, induced from the former German penal code, has led to an increasing share of pre-trial diversion and therefore enhancing white-collar crimes like fraud and violation of trust due to impunity.

scholarly journals Every Single Word: A New Data Set Including All Parliamentary Materials Published in Germany

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Tobias Remschel ◽  
Corinna Kroeber
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Politics ◽  
Time Horizon ◽  
Single Word ◽  
Legislative Studies ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Political Careers ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
German Bundestag

Abstract In this article, we introduce a unique data set containing all written communication published by the German Bundestag between 1949 and 2017. Increasing numbers of scholars make use of protocols of parliamentary speeches, parliamentary questions or the texts of legislative drafts in various fields of comparative politics including representation, responsiveness, professionalization and political careers or parliamentary agenda studies. Since preparing parliamentary documents is rather resource intensive, these studies remain limited to single points in time, types of documents and/or policy areas. The long time horizon and various types of documents covered by our new comprehensive data set will enable scholars interested in parliaments, parties and representatives to answer various innovative research questions related to legislative studies.

To which extent do political parties utilize similar frames?

2021 ◽  
pp. 135406882110288
Author(s):  
Camilla Bjarnøe
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Public Debate ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Public ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Coalition Partner ◽  
Mainstream Party ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Very High ◽  
Degree Of Overlap

How parties compete by utilizing frames in the public debate is not well understood. A widespread understanding is that parties tend to compete by talking past each other, i.e. when they utilize dissimilar frames. This article relies on a unique data set of parties’ framing of four individual policy questions over two decades in Denmark to examine frame overlap, i.e. when parties adopt similar frames. Results show that parties utilize similar and dissimilar frames in the public debate. However, a high degree of frame similarity was generally found across parliamentary blocs (between the leading mainstream party from each bloc, their leading junior coalition partner, and the two blocs) and most often a very high degree of overlap was found within parliamentary blocs (between the leading mainstream party and its junior coalition partner). This result suggests a need to rethink thoroughly how to understand and study interaction among parties utilizing frames.

Electing the Senate

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy J. Schiller ◽  
Charles Stewart III
Keyword(s):  
Original Data ◽  
State Legislators ◽  
Internal Conflict ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Senate Elections ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Public ◽  
Seventeenth Amendment ◽  
The People ◽  
Election Process

From 1789 to 1913, U.S. senators were not directly elected by the people—instead the Constitution mandated that they be chosen by state legislators. This radically changed in 1913, when the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, giving the public a direct vote. This book investigates the electoral connections among constituents, state legislators, political parties, and U.S. senators during the age of indirect elections. The book finds that even though parties controlled the partisan affiliation of the winning candidate for Senate, they had much less control over the universe of candidates who competed for votes in Senate elections and the parties did not always succeed in resolving internal conflict among their rank and file. Party politics, money, and personal ambition dominated the election process, in a system originally designed to insulate the Senate from public pressure. The book uses an original data set of all the roll call votes cast by state legislators for U.S. senators from 1871 to 1913 and all state legislators who served during this time. Newspaper and biographical accounts uncover vivid stories of the political maneuvering, corruption, and partisanship—played out by elite political actors, from elected officials, to party machine bosses, to wealthy business owners—that dominated the indirect Senate elections process. The book raises important questions about the effectiveness of Constitutional reforms, such as the Seventeenth Amendment, that promised to produce a more responsive and accountable government.

Analisis Penerapan Kode Etik Jurnalistik Pada Pemberitaan Pemindahan Ibu Kota Indonesia di Liputan6.com

Koneksi ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 215
Author(s):  
Wiwin Fitriyani ◽  
Ahmad Junaidi
Keyword(s):  
Code Of Ethics ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Freedom Of The Press ◽  
News Reporting ◽  
The Public ◽  
News Reports ◽  
Quantitative Content ◽  
The Press ◽  
The Right ◽  
Included Article

Freedom of the Press is the right to express, disseminate ideas, organize, and so forth. Freedom of the Press is based on the provisions made by the Press Council called the Journalistic Code of Ethics. The Journalistic Code of Ethics is the professional ethics of journalists. As the party that disseminates information to the public, journalists need to practice the provisions of the Journalistic Code of Ethics which consists of 11 articles, because various news reports that journalists report should have an impact on society. Then, one of the news that received more attention from the public, namely regarding the relocation of the Indonesian capital. At that time, the news received various responses from various parties. Therefore, various media are aggressively producing news related to this, such as Liputan6.com. In this study, the Journalistic Code of Ethics analyzed with the news included article 1, 2, and 3. The purpose of this study was to determine the application of the Journalistic Code of Ethics in reporting the removal of the Indonesian Capital City on Liputan6.com. Theories used include news reporting and the Journalistic Code of Ethics. Then, for the research method used, namely quantitative content analysis using coding sheets to process, and analyze the data. The results of this study indicate Liputan6.com has implemented a Journalistic Code of Ethics, although of the 55 news samples there are still 19 news that do not meet the element of balance.Kebebasan pers merupakan hak untuk berekspresi, menyebarluaskan gagasan, dan berorganisasi. Kebebasan pers dilandasi oleh ketentuan yang dibuat Dewan Pers yang disebut Kode Etik Jurnalistik. Kode Etik Jurnalistik adalah etika profesi wartawan. Sebagai pihak yang menyebarkan informasi kepada khalayak, jurnalis perlu mempraktikan ketentuan Kode Etik Jurnalistik yang terdiri dari 11 pasal. Hal ini karena berbagai berita yang jurnalis laporkan akan memberi dampak pada masyarakat. Salah satu pemberitaan yang mendapatkan perhatian lebih dari masyarakat, yaitu mengenai pemindahan ibu kota Indonesia. Pada saat itu, kabar tersebut mendapatkan berbagai respon dari berbagai pihak. Oleh karena itu, berbagai media gencar dalam memproduksi berita terkait hal tersebut, salahsatunya Liputan6.com. Pada penelitian ini, Kode Etik Jurnalistik yang dianalisis dengan pemberitaan tersebut, antara lain pasal 1, 2, dan 3. Tujuan dari penelitian ini ialah untuk mengetahui penerapan Kode Etik Jurnalistik pada pemberitaan pemindahan Ibu Kota Indonesia di Liputan6.com. Teori yang digunakan diantaranya pemberitaan, dan Kode Etik Jurnalistik. Metode penelitian yang dipakai yakni analisis isi kuantitatif dengan memakai lembar codinguntuk mengolah, dan menganalisis datanya. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukan Liputan6.com sudah menerapkan Kode Etik Jurnalistik, meskipun dari 55 sampel berita masih terdapat 19 berita yang tidak memenuhi unsur keberimbangan.

How to Tell the Truth without Outraging the Press?

MedienJournal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Li Xiguang
Keyword(s):  
News Media ◽  
Public Affairs ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
The Public ◽  
News Stories ◽  
The Press ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Government ◽  
Chinese News Media

The commercialization of meclia in China has cultivated a new journalism business model characterized with scandalization, sensationalization, exaggeration, oversimplification, highly opinionated news stories, one-sidedly reporting, fabrication and hate reporting, which have clone more harm than good to the public affairs. Today the Chinese journalists are more prey to the manipu/ation of the emotions of the audiences than being a faithful messenger for the public. Une/er such a media environment, in case of news events, particularly, during crisis, it is not the media being scared by the government. but the media itself is scaring the government into silence. The Chinese news media have grown so negative and so cynica/ that it has produced growing popular clistrust of the government and the government officials. Entering a freer but fearful commercially mediated society, the Chinese government is totally tmprepared in engaging the Chinese press effectively and has lost its ability for setting public agenda and shaping public opinions. 

Petroleum geological activities in West Greenland in 2000

2001 ◽  
pp. 24-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flemming G. Christiansen ◽  
Jørgen A. Bojesen-Koefoed ◽  
James A. Chalmers ◽  
Finn Dalhoff ◽  
Anders Mathiesen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Press Release ◽  
Geological Survey ◽  
Petroleum Geology ◽  
Original Series ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
The Public ◽  
Technical Work ◽  
The Press ◽  
Seismic Acquisition

NOTE: This article was published in a former series of GEUS Bulletin. Please use the original series name when citing this article, for example: Christiansen, F. G., Bojesen-Koefoed, J. A., Chalmers, J. A., Dalhoff, F., Mathiesen, A., Sønderholm, M., Dam, G., Gregersen, U., Marcussen, C., Nøhr-Hansen, H., Piasecki, S., Preuss, T., Pulvertaft, T. C. R., Audun Rasmussen, J., & Sheldon, E. (2001). Petroleum geological activities in West Greenland in 2000. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin, 189, 24-33. https://doi.org/10.34194/ggub.v189.5150 _______________ The summer of 2000 was exciting for everyone interested in the petroleum geology and exploration of West Greenland. The first offshore well in more than 20 years was drilled by the Statoil group in the Fylla licence area, and seismic acquisition activity offshore West Greenland was more intense than previous years with four new surveys being carried out (Fig. 1). Expectations were high when drilling of the Qulleq-1 well was initiated in July 2000, not only with the licensees and the authorities, but also with the public. The well was classified as highly confidential, but nevertheless all information available was closely followed by the press, especially in Greenland and Denmark, but also internationally (see Ghexis 2000). Disappointment was equally high when the press release in September 2000 reported that the well was dry. Since that time much technical work has been carried out by Statoil and its consultants (Pegrum et al. 2001) and by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), and a more balanced view of the positive and negative surprises from the well can now be presented.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document