TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part I
Lawmakers and Lawbreakers: The Puzzle of Indian Democracy
What does the marketplace for criminal politicians look like and what supply and demand forces make it tick?
The Rise of the Rents Raj: India’s Corruption Ecosystem
How have India’s politics, economy, and society been transformed since India’s independence? And how can we understand the country’s puzzling governance deficit?
Part II
Criminal Enterprise: Why Criminals Join Politics
How has the relationship between crime and politics changed as democracy has evolved? What incentives do individuals with serious criminal reputations have to take part in the electoral sphere?
The Costs of Democracy: How Money Fuels Muscle
Individuals linked to wrongdoing may have their own incentives to join politics. But why do political parties select candidates with serious criminal records?
Doing Good by Doing Bad: The Demand for Criminality
Does voter ignorance explain why voters back politicians linked to crime? Or might voters have rational reasons for lending their support?
The Salience of Social Divisions: How Context Shapes Criminality
How can social divisions sharpen the appeal of criminal politicians? And how do these cleavages vary across India’s vast, diverse democracy?
Part III
Crime without Punishment: From Deep Roots to Proximate Causes
What are the policy levers reformers can wield in order to limit, if not eliminate, the entrenched position of tainted politicians?
An Entrenched Marketplace: Rethinking Democratic Accountability
What are the implications of the presence of criminal politicians for democracy and accountability? What, if anything, can the Indian experience tell us about the challenges facing other developing democracies?
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