In terms of democratic function, the public’s oversight of family members is seen as a crucial layer of transparency in governance. For example, the financial assets of a spouse must be disclosed precisely because a politician could easily enact policies beneficial to their partner's or child's business interests, thereby using their position for private, non-public benefit. This mandatory disclosure means the family's financial entanglements are permanently exposed to the public eye to guarantee that decisions are made on behalf of the constituents, not the household.
