The law and econom(etr)ics of corruption

Abstract

Corruption has become a deep-rooted feature of many economies and societies around the world. At the same time, there has been growing efforts both in international and municipal law to tackle, if not eliminate, the problem of corruption. This thesis looks at the effectiveness of such laws. In doing so, it draws on the toolkit of leximetrics (the application of econometrics to the law) to rigorously and transparently examine whether the creation of legal instruments lead to a behavioural change in impacted actors. The study also undertakes an expansive review of the theories of, and the literature on, law and economics, and develops new perspectives on the law and economics of corruption.