How well any government functions hinges on how good citizens are at making their politicians accountable for their actions. Political control of public of®cials depends on two factors. First, free and regular elections allow citizens to discipline politiciansÐ Ðthe credible threat of losing of®ce in the next period compels policy makers to respond to the voters' interests. Second, and equally important, the degree of citizen information curbs the opportunities politicians may have to engage in

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... political corruption and management. The presence of a well-informed electorate in a democratic setting explains between one-half and two-thirds of the variance in the levels of governmental performance and corruption.