The Implication Of Political Patron-Client Linkages On Democratic Governance In Developing Democracies

Abstract

Abstract: Political development of emerging liberal democracies is gauged based on the level of democratic governance. Democratic governance promotes citizens’ participation, transparency and accountability in access to information and use of public resources, responsiveness to citizens’ needs, effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery, equitability in sharing of resources, inclusiveness in decision making and the rule of law. This review paper examined the implication of political patron-client linkages/networks and practices on democratic governance in developing democracies. This review paper relies on the existing secondary data from various parts of the world in providing a conceptual explanation of political patron-client networks/linkages how it impact on democratic governance. This study noted that patron-client networks and practices have profound negative implications for the way in which democracy functions, and the capacity of governments to produce needed public policies and services. It generally reverse the standard accountability relationship, affects the development of the political institutions necessary for democratic development and accountability, leads to politicization of the state administrative bureaucracy, contribute to larger public deficits and public sector inefficiencies, increases cases of corruption and a culture of impunity and make it difficult to punish individuals for corrupt behavior. Patron-client linkage is therefore pervasive to the practice of good governance in the developing democracies and this study recommends for economic liberalization, democratization reforms, decentralization of governance, civil service reform and electoral civic education as mitigative measures. Keywords: Patronage, Clientelism, Networks and Democratic Governance