Campaign Spending Limits and Criminal Violence in Brazil

• In Event: Criminal Politics in Brazil

Abstract

What is the relationship between campaign spending limits and criminal violence? While limiting campaign spending may produce virtuous effects on political competition, these financial ceilings may also incentivize politicians to turn to illegal funding by violent actors and ultimately contribute to higher competition between criminal factions. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between financial resources and criminal violence in Brazil. We exploit a discontinuity in a 2015 political reform that limits campaign spending for mayoral elections. This paper sheds light on the relationship between money, elections, and criminal violence.

Authors

• Camilo Nieto Matiz

• Natan Skigin, University of Notre Dame