Clientism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A system or practice of political leaders distributing favors, resources, or patronage to supporters in exchange for loyalty and electoral backing
2. A political approach where leaders provide benefits or resources to their supporters in return for loyalty and support in elections
3. A practice characterized by the distribution of favors and resources by politicians to maintain voter loyalty and ensure electoral success

Etymology: "Clientism" is a plain formation: the noun "client" with the suffix "-ism," which turns a person-word into the name of a system or practice. Here "client" carries its political sense, a dependent who owes loyalty and support to a patron, and that sense is old. In ancient Rome, a "cliens" was a man who attached himself to a powerful family, receiving protection and legal help in return for political backing and deference. The suffix does the work of naming the system itself. Once "client" had come to describe a political dependant, adding "-ism" turned the relationship into a named practice, so the word describes the whole arrangement of patrons distributing favours to those who return loyalty and votes, rather than any single dependant. The term is a transparent modern coinage built from English parts, so its meaning follows directly from those two elements.

Synonyms: clientelism