Patron Client Relations
Nigeria
Russian Federation
United Kingdom
China
Iran
Mexico
Guanxi- informal personal relations that allow for certain strings to be pulled to achieve an end.
System by which favors are given in exchange for political support
State Corporatism
The state determines which groups have input into policy making
Patron-client relations aren't innately corrupt, but can quickly become corrupt if not executed properly, like in the case of the PRI
The Russian government has established vast, state owned holding companies in automobile and aircraft manufacturing,
nuclear power, diamonds, and other industries
Insider Privatization
Either government-controlled companies,
or companies run by men seen as loyal to Mr. Putin are beneficiaries
The Interventionist State
Prebendalism
The Mafia
British politics are characterized by neo-corporatism.
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Economic Dependence on Oil
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/03/the-untold-story-disappearance-of-fan-bingbing-worlds-biggest-movie-star
Chinese movie star Fan Bingbing claims that she entered the film industry with no guanxi. In reality her family's history in the communist party allowed her to rise to the top and become the biggest movie star in the world.
State Control/Rich Civil Society
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They thrive on payoffs from business, money laundering, and deals that they make with Russian government officials
State Owned Company: Vneshtorgbank Chairman: Andrei Kostin (close friend of Putin and on the board of Rosneft) Benefits: International investments; funding for power generation
Example: 1988 Election during which, through use of patron-client relations, the PRI received 85-90% support, garnering them a landslide victory
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Iran is a rentier state, which means it pays its bills by the sale of oil rather than through taxation. This gives the regime a significant degree of autonomy from society and immunizes it from societal pressure. This system also fuels an extensive patron-client network that allows the regime to buy the allegiance of millions of people whose livelihood is tied to its survival.
The Chinese government has offered Hongkongers civil servant positions in mainland China. But young officers find it difficult to adapt to the system of guanxi which some view as cronyism. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3004815/all-work-and-low-pay-plus-party-loyalty-would-hongkongers
Clientelism in Iran is linked to Shiism, as well as to a rentier state, and to the revolution, which resulted in many autonomous groups formed
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Clientelist relationship in our constituencies has cyclical nature; it begins by an electoral campaign and continues throughout the tenure of membership of the patron in the parliament.
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A representative /patron utilizes
his/her power in Centre(Tehran), to appoint his/her favorite persons as the head of local branches of administrative organizations(as local branches of universities, state-run banking network, health services network etc).
In the absence of political parties and economic transparency, in provincial Iran or at least in the constituencies we studied, clientelist relations between voters and elected members of parliament take place.
Any member of parliament, according to the constitution of Iran, is equipped with many powers (Articles 88-89) and the possible influence of every representative becomes greater with his/her membership history, profession and literacy, character and network of connections.
These “patron-appointed” heads, rectors... act as the agents of patron and try to coordinate his/her decisions with the “directives” of the patron
Some simply advise on policy while others deliver public services.
They weakened under Margaret Thatcher as PM and since the coalition gov. of conservatives and liberal democrats was formed in May 2010, a number of Quangos had been abolished under conservative plans to reduce the overall budget defecit
Patron-client relations are a sign of hostility in politics though, and on some occasions, those who are the supporters in a patron-client relations have been assassinated
This system isn't naturally corrupt but it can be abused and has contributed to a huge crackdown within the Chinese government.
Reflects Russia’s patron-client system, where individuals in power give favors to subordinates, in return for political support
More than 1.6 billion rubles of state funds have been embezzled from Russia’s Roscosmos space corporation and the Rostec state-run defense conglomerate
The PRI was the party who used patron-client relations in Mexico to maintain power for a period of 71 years, until finally dethroned in 2000
Interest groups take the lead and sometimes dominate the state. The greatest influence of British interest groups would be the Quangos
Using a neo-corporatist model, quangos, together with government officials develop public policy in different policy areas.
Quangos are (quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organizations)
Neo-Corporatism: a cooperative relationship between an interest group and the government for the purpose of maintaining a fixed procedure of developing and implementing economic policies
Most of the political activities and privileges for citizens particularly the lower class or the grassroots’ people were said to be channeled through Corporalist and Clientelist organizations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institutional_Revolutionary_Party
Patron-Client system similarities are very much prevalent in the United Kingdom
No guaranteed individual rights and free market capitalism exist to check the government's power. This practice set in place the expectation that citizens should passively accept the actions of their rulers.
Clientelism: a social order that depends upon relations of patronage; in particular, a political approach that emphasizes or exploits such relations.
Quangos could also be defined as policy advisory boards appointed by the government.
Patron-Client system attirbutes are veyr prelevent in the UK.
Patron-Clientelism
This article highlights the difficulties that foreigners face when entering the Chinese business world. Their personal connections are usually fragile and must still abide by Chinese law https://www.forbes.com/sites/danharris/2015/01/11/china-guanxi-overrated/#28c49cb26333
In the past, patronage flowed not just to friends of the regime, but also to potential opponents. University graduates, men and women who may have been radical critics of the government and the party during their years in school, were appointed to important government positions or were given contracts to serve as highly paid consultants. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/culture-magazines/patron-client-systems
Such co–opted individuals soon softened their criticism; however, opponents who refused to take advantage of the spoils they were offered found themselves in great difficulty, such as being put in jail. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/culture-magazines/patron-client-systems
Patron-client relations have been regarded as beneficial to society because it lessens the gap between the citizens and the state, bringing them closer together and thus, potentially increasing legitimacy. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270164048_Political_Clientelism_in_Mexico_Bridging_the_Gap_Between_Citizens_and_the_State
Political leaders build loyalty among lesser elites by granting them favors that are denied to others. This practice invites corruption and usually hurts the larger society because only a few benefit. Patrons are generally linked to clients by ethnicity and religion.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiWwqnim-vhAhVtmeAKHTxXByoQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40RifkiNada%2Fguangxi-or-the-rule-of-man-that-overulls-the-rule-of-law-in-china-3c36d6ef024c&psig=AOvVaw3M9v-nq4hKdreiWKxmwoU9&ust=1556280051525579
This picture displays the differences between Western networks and the Chinese networks. The Western version is very direct and only involves a few individuals while guanxi is interconnecting and spans over tons of people.
They control business, resources, and banks
Mikhail Abyzov is accused of presiding over a criminal group that allegedly siphoned 4 billion rubles from two energy companies in Siberia and deposited the money in foreign banks.
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/russian-ex-minister-arrested-on-fraud-charges/
Nigeria's rich oil reserves have proved too tempting for most military rulers to resist. The vast corruption means that oil money only benefits the rich.
When performing favors, the individuals involved may not expect immediate repayment but rather hold onto the favor until the ideal time.
The government has never truly succeeded in totally dominating civil society. Many ethnic and religious organizations have helped to shape society. These groups mainly relate to the government through corporatism and clientelism.
Unlike, most other countries, the clients in Nigeria are almost exclusively from their own ethnic or religious group.
The Chinese bureaucratic system can be burdensome which leads to rampant corruption https://commons.clarku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1126&context=idce_masters_papers