Failed State : Political Corruption and the Collapse of Democratic Institutions in Bell, CA

This article seeks to explain recent patterns of corruption in the City of Bell, CA. After reviewing the literature on municipal corruption and reform, political participation, and democracy in immigrant communities, the paper examines the Bell case study. It is argued that the city's primary democratic institutions, voter participation, local media coverage, and community organization engagement had atrophied in the years prior to the scandal. In addition, it is argued that the city manager form of government contributed to a climate of non-participation in the city. In this ‘failed state,' local officials systematically employed governmental power for corrupt purposes. Implications for democratic institution building and political reform in high immigration cities are discussed