Klientelpolitik

Klientelpolitik, or clientelism, is a political strategy in which public actors exchange material benefits for political support from specific individuals or groups. It rests on a patron–client relationship in which the patron provides resources such as jobs, contracts, welfare access, or favors in return for loyalty, votes, or help mobilizing supporters. The practice can be informal or formally institutionalized and often targets particular communities, regions, or social groups.

Mechanisms of clientelism include targeted allocation of public resources, selective enforcement or policy benefits, and the creation of networks that mobilize voters and supporters. It can operate through political parties, interest groups, or informal neighborhood networks. Clientelist arrangements tend to consolidate at local levels where governance is closer to everyday life and where accountability mechanisms are weaker or less effective.

Consequences and critiques vary by context but commonly include distortions in public spending and policy, favoritism over merit and competitive bidding, and reduced accountability of politicians to the broader electorate. Clientelism can entrench inequalities, undermine trust in institutions, and hamper long-term development by prioritizing short-term gains for a limited group rather than broad-based welfare or efficient public service delivery. Some argue that it provides social continuity or stability in weak-state settings, while many scholars emphasize the detrimental effects on democratic governance and rule of law.

Measurement and analysis often rely on surveys, spending and procurement patterns, political networks, and case studies. The concept is used across regimes and regions to describe variations in how political support is monetized through access to resources, illustrating a spectrum from weak, informal exchanges to highly institutionalized patronage systems.