This handbook investigates the causes, consequences, and potential remedies for corruption within government institutions on a global scale. The editors, including Bo Rothstein and other prominent scholars in political science, compile research from a diverse group of experts to analyze how the quality of government impacts human welfare. The volume utilizes a multidisciplinary framework, drawing on political science, economics, and sociology to evaluate why some states maintain high levels of integrity while others struggle with systemic graft.

Experts recognize this volume as a foundational reference for researchers and policymakers interested in the mechanics of governance. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for scholars and advanced students in the field of political science.