This book is an in-depth exploration of political finances in and among mature and developing democracies of the world of politics in most continents: Japan and South Korea in Asia; Brazil in South America; Mexico and the United States in North America; and Italy, Germany, and Spain in Europe.

This book is an in-depth exploration of comparative political finances in and among mature and developing democracies of the world. It presents a conceptual framework that enables the reader to understand the context and implications of funding sources, campaign expenditures, and regulatory systems.

The term "foundation" indicates the natural base on which a certain structure rests as well as an institution designed to support something useful. Both connotations apply to the contents of this book. Political finance deals with the "mother's milk of politics" and focuses on key issues of democracy. The use of money as a political resource confronts the unequal distribution of wealth in modern societies with the democratic principle. Part A of the volume presents comparative analyses of political income and expenditure in Western Democracies, Japan and Israel. Part B deals with major impacts and the work of political finance regimes, e.g. on participation, linkage and controls of political spending. Part C discusses whether the western model of democracy can provide an adequate orientation for the consolidation of democracies in India, Latin America and East Central Europe and presents efforts to strengthen democracy by means of foundations. Part D contains an extensive Bibliography on Political Finance. The editor is Professor for Political Science at the Carl-von-Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany. He has chaired the IPSA Research Committee on Political Finance and Political Corruption from 1994 to 2000.

"The Electoral Integrity Project: why elections fail and what we can do about it."

Investigates the problems common to democracies seeking to regulate uses of money in election campaigns and, to a lesser extent, considers the role of public funding.

This text covers political finance systems and direct state funding in Costa Rica and Uraguay as well as state funding and campaign finance practices in those countries.

Democracy is a fine political system, but an expensive economic venture. Political parties and election campaigns cost money. Where does the money come from and at what sacrifice? Issues connected with political finance are significant but often neglected aspects of the process of democratization. Funding Democratization examines how money and politics interact in emerging democracies. The contributors investigate the funding of political parties in early North America, financial uncertainties of party formation in European countries, funding of democratization in new democracies, and the influence of funding on contenders for power. They also address the nature of political competition in countries that are seeking to embrace, often for the first time, the rules of democracy. They question in what ways politicians can help make democracy affordable. The volume compares important democratizing countries, such as Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Spain, and the regions of East Asia and East/Central Europe. It also investigates the lessons that emerging democracies can learn from the history of political finance in today's more established democracies. Funding Democratization will be of interest to political scientists and specialists in international social and political development. Peter Burnell studied economics and politics at the University of Bristol before going on to complete his graduate studies with a dissertion on "The Political and Social Thought of Thomas Paine, 1737-1809," both at the University of Warwick. He is the founding joint editor of the journal Democratization and the accompanying book series Democratization Studies. Alan Ware is a professor of politics and a tutorial fellow in politics at Worcester College, Oxford University. His research interests include U.S. politics and comparative government.