Transparency functions as a deterrent against political corruption and misconduct.

Evidence

The most obvious answer to conspiracism would seem to be transparency: combat charges of secrecy with openness, so citizens can see and hear leaders at work. Since John Wilkes first published the proceedings of the British Parliament (and was sent to the Tower of London for doing so), faith in transparency has never wavered. Transparency has become a mantra invoked by ethicists, public officials, the media, advocacy groups that monitor government, and citizens hoping to hold representatives accountable. The demand for transparency is all the more powerful because the national security state classifies far too much material and creates a background of secrecy that only a few are permitted to penetrate. Doubtless this contributes to conspiracist tendencies to see what is secret as nefarious. Nevertheless, transparency works to prevent political corruption and misconduct. It is a deterrent. And transparency plays an indisputable part in facilitating political accountability. Transparency is now formally required in a variety of ways and extends to legislation, executive orders, regulations, court decisions, the data used in making decisions, the records of argument and reasons, and the authors of policy and names of those in opposition. — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying, 316

Categorization

• CANDY: The John Wilkes anecdote—publishing Parliament’s proceedings and being sent to the Tower—is a light, tweetable historical tidbit about free-speech history.
• XREF: connects to: Transparency compels conformity and erases deviation — Byung-Chul Han, Psychopolitics: Neoliberalism and New…, 176; Transparency on its own fails to cure corruption because publicity requires interpretation. — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying: The New…, 317; Taking transparency in government is crucial for democracy. — David E Pozen; Michael Schudson, Troubling Transparency- The History and…, 17

Broader Connections

• Taking transparency in government is crucial for democracy. #expands (0.85) — David E Pozen; Michael Schudson, Troubling Transparency- The History and…, 17