WHAT IS CLIENTELISM?  - Brian Kermath, 2005

Clientelism refers to a form of social organization common in many developing regions characterized by "patron-client" relationships. In such places, powerful and rich "patrons" promise to provide powerless and poor "clients" with jobs, protection, infrastructure, and other benefits in exchange for votes and other forms of loyalty including labor. While this definition suggests a kind of "socioeconomic mutualism," these relationships are typically exploitative, often resulting in the perpetual indebtedness of the clients in what is described as a "debt-peonage" relationship. In some places, patrons employ coercion, intimidation, sabotage, and even violence to maintain control, and they frequently fail to deliver on their promises. Moreover, patrons are generally unaccountable for their actions. Thus, clientelistic relationships are often corrupt and unjust, thereby obstructing true sustainability.

Selected References

Keefer, Philip. 2005. "Clientelism, Credibility and the Policy Choices of Young Democracies." Presented at The Quality of Government: What It Is, How to Get It, Why It Matters, International Conference, G�teborg, 17-19 November.  

Nylen, William. 2003. Participatory Democracy versus Elitist Democracy: Lessons from Brazil. Palgrave-Macmillan, New York. [review]

Brian Kermath, Research Associate and Director of the Sustainable Communities Program in the Global Environmental Management Education Center at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, is responsible for these views, which do not necessarily represent the views of other associated individuals or institutions.