The global economy and other international influences have powerful effects on governance and corruption at the country level. Many of these “international drivers” can act to undermine accountable governance – for example, through the effects of substantial rents from commodity exports; the ease of depositing illegal earnings securely in financial centres; and the ability to acquire military force through commercial hiring arrangements. However, other drivers can have positive effects. Examples include competition between states to become more investment-friendly, and the exchange of ideas across international professional networks.