Clientalism, Lebanon: Roots and Trends

Clientalism operates in every political system in the Middle East, but its amount, specific nature and legitimacy vary enormously. Forty-six years of consociational democracy in Lebanon can be summarized as failure to integrate sections of the civil society into the political system. In particular, clientalism in Lebanon persists despite changes in its patterns. It seems that neither the logic of democracy nor the logic of civil society outrun the logic of power of clientalism. On the contrary, instead of being destroyed by the process of democratization, clientalism has changed its forms and functions over time. This article examines how clientalism is rooted and intertwined with the rules of political game in Lebanon. It also discusses the coexistence of various forms of clientalism by focusing on the transformation of patron-client relations from traditional forms of patronage to clientalistic brokerage typical of contemporary Lebanon.