Anti-corruption movements, mechanisms, and machines - an introduction

Abstract

Anticorruption programmes, projects and campaigns have come to constitute an essential aspect of furthering good governance over the last two decades. This article provides a conceptual framework for studying anticorruption efforts and it assesses their nature and impacts across Eastern Europe by focusing on the interplay between the international and domestic domains. More precisely, it differentiates between domestic social movements, governmental political machines and international legal mechanisms. These three levels of analysis - domestic civil society, national governments and international society - provide a meaningful general basis for comparing a variety of anticorruption efforts. On all three levels, political and material interests of relevant actors are complemented by normative arguments. In assessing the case studies in this volume, this article concludes that, at the interfaces of the three levels, coincidental and spontaneous breakthroughs have largely outweighed systematic implementation of appropriate anticorruption strategies. It further stresses that broad societal support for anticorruption remains essential for the success of any international or governmental initiatives.