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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Rethinking The Rule Of Law: Concepts, Measures And Theory, Ryan Carlin, Rodolfo Sarsfield
Rethinking The Rule Of Law: Concepts, Measures And Theory, Ryan Carlin, Rodolfo Sarsfield
Rodolfo Sarsfield
Like many major targets of social inquiry, the rule of law seems to be an essentially contested concept (Gallie, 1956; Collier, Hidalgo, and Maciuceanu; 2007, Waldron, 2002). The literature teems with definitions of the rule of law, emphasizing attributes ranging from formal legality and checks and balances to order, democracy, and individual rights (Møller and Skaaning, in this issue). And while surveys of competing definitions exist, scholars have yet to converge on a systematized concept amenable to operationalization. One fundamental debate concerns “thick” versus “thin” definitions of the rule of law (Møller and Skaaning, in this issue). Another unsettled question …
The Bribe Game: Microfoundations Of Corruption In Mexico, Rodolfo Sarsfield
The Bribe Game: Microfoundations Of Corruption In Mexico, Rodolfo Sarsfield
Rodolfo Sarsfield
Studies of how individuals’ micro-motives and behaviors influence the effective rule of law are a deficit in the literature, as is analysis of the microfoundations of the law. Most explanations of the performance of the rule of law concern the macro level and emulate properties of countries, such as wealth, ethnic fragmentation, religion, British legal or colonial tradition, or Communist past. Assuming that written law will be largely irrelevant if the rules are excessively costly compared to other mechanisms for private and public interactions, such as informal institutions or illegal practices, in this work I model the game that underlies …