ABSTRACT
The particular venality and virtues of American politics make that country a challenging case for comparative analysis. Corruption, scandal and reform are perennial features of American politics, and they engage both fundamental values and a pragmatic taste for institutional tinkering. The debate over campaign finance is only partly about corruption; it also raises questions of equality, free speech, and the nature of a good democracy. Generalizations about "American" corruption are risky, however, because of the size and diversity of the society. Campaign finance reform—the leading corruption issue in American politics at the moment—poses both highly technical and deeply political issues. Much of the evolution of policy has taken place in the courts. Debates there have raised major questions about the nature of corruption, the boundaries of free speech, and distinctions between political speech and participation, on the one hand, and property on the other.
