Bence Toth

Present status: PhD Candidate

Working title of thesis: What is the role of informality in governance and how does it relate to electoral accountability?

Research: My research focuses on informality in locally managed public procurement contracts where informal enforcement and local information have particular importance in contract governance.

Data on contracts and participating companies can reveal the relative importance of informality serving public interests as opposed to corruption serving private ones.
Therefore, informality used for the public good in contract governance should be rewarded in local elections.

This also explains the persistence of informal governance even where politicians are accountable and points towards a revaluation of policies advocating good governance in these contexts.

There is considerable difference among countries with respect to enforcement of the ’rule of law’ which leaves amply space for informal practices as governance mechanisms.