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Democracy, democratization, and the presumptions of accountability, limits on power, and rule of law that accompany them are central to many scenarios for checking corruption. Building coalitions, engaging and strengthening civil society, practicing transparency, and mobilizing the electorate, among other strategies, assume workable levels of freedom, civil liberties, and voluntary action. At the same time, however, democratization presents corruption risks of its own: vote-buying, campaign finance and lobbying abuses, and influence-market dealings are parts of everyday democratic life. So too, in many democracies, is a widespread sense that the influence of political money has undercut citizen influence and the quality of public life. To understand how the relationship among state and nonstate actors foments corruption, this article draws on examples from around the region. In the context of these cases, three arenas best illustrate the nature and interaction of the state and nonstate sectors: power and structure, the marketplace, and criminal justice.
