Do Natural Disasters Open a Window of Opportunity for Corruption?. Issue 1 (2nd January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nguyen, Quang
• Is Part Of: Journal of development studies. Volume 53:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 156
• Page End: 172
• Publication Date: 2017-01-02
• Subjects: Economic development -- Periodicals; Economic history -- 1945- -- Periodicals; Developing countries -- Economic conditions -- Periodicals; Développement économique -- Périodiques; Histoire économique -- 1945- -- Périodiques; Pays en voie de développement -- Conditions économiques -- Périodiques; 338.91
• DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2016.1187724
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0388

Abstract

Abstract: This study explores the link between natural disasters and corruption at the local government level. We examine whether a natural disaster affects official households more favourably than non-official households. We find that natural disasters decrease nonofficial household expenditures significantly, however, they have negligible effect on official household expenditures. Meanwhile, both kinds of households experience similar reduction in incomes, and have much the same disaster coping strategies. Together, the results imply that local officials may receive unobserved monetary compensation – we define as corruption – in the aftermath of natural disasters.