Clientelism
Clientelism is a system of human, unequal relations of dependence on political apparatus, between influential people and their clients on the basis of performance and consideration. Looking at this form of asymmetric relationship of pages of the influential person from, we also speak of patronage.
The clientele (Latin: clientela ) is a group of clients, in ancient Rome as still as the person who asked a lawyer or speak for themselves can ( cluere: listen, obey ). In the Middle Ages in the further use of Roman law, the term " cliens " and " advokatus " maintained. In political terms, the clientelism is a precursor of indirect democracy, as the patron ensures responsibility for the welfare and safety of its clients and in exchange food and work (ie, taxes, Harvesting, forced labor and troops for the defense ) receives.
The clientelism is an organization scheme with both feudal and familiaristischen structural elements. He is a special form parochial - participatory (political ) culture that is only seen by the anthropological analysis of an exchange relationship between two people with power unevenly distributed opportunities. This exchange relationship is based on the basis of mutual interests and mutual aid.
Political clientelism refers to the exchange of favors, goods and services on the part of party political leaders for political support or loyalty, for example in the form of electoral votes, from the client side. Very widespread this practice is still in Latin America, known for modern political clientelism, for example, the Peronist party in Argentina. Especially in poor neighborhoods dependencies are created by such as social services by the local government through intermediaries (English: Broker) will be distributed to the needy and thus the political support for the preferred candidate will be secured by, for example, the preservation of food or drugs is coupled to the visit of party events.
The historian Heinz A. Richter holds the patronage of the essential constitutive element of Greece.
Related terms
- Cabal
- Cacique (Spain )
- Clientelism
- Corruption
- Lobbyism
- Nepotism
- Political machine, Tammany Hall
- Policy network
- Nepotism
- Clan
- Ambactus