WHEN CRIME PAYS Paperback

"When Crime Pays: Money and Muscle in Indian Politics" by Milan Vaishnav offers a groundbreaking and incisive analysis of the puzzling phenomenon of criminal politicians in India, the world's largest democracy. Drawing on extensive fieldwork, surveys, and a unique database of politicians' backgrounds, Vaishnav delves into the complex interplay between crime and democracy, exploring why political parties actively recruit candidates with criminal charges, and, perhaps more surprisingly, why voters repeatedly elect them. The book challenges the notion of "ignorant voters" and instead argues that citizens often vote for these individuals precisely because of their criminal records, viewing them as effective strongmen who can deliver services and protect their interests in a context of weak state institutions and deep social divisions. It's a comprehensive study that sheds light on the supply and demand for criminality in Indian politics, revealing how money and muscle have become deeply entrenched in the electoral process.