Clientelismo y corrupción: ¿afinidades electivas? Una aproximación mediante estudios de caso

Abstract

This article is part of a series of investigations on the phenomenon of political clientelism in Galicia (Spain). The main objective is to verify the theoretical and empirical relationship between the phenomenon of clientelism and its funding through corrupt methods. The article uses a theoretical definition of clientelism and corruption as differentiated phenomena that can, nevertheless, become interdependent and overlapping at an empirical plane. This, in turn, gives rise to hybrid phenomena. The text proposes an analytical framework to explore the linkage between both concepts, especially when corruption becomes an instrument for financing patron-client networks. The paper presents the results of an original research based on three thorough case studies of clientelistic relationship where political corruption has taken place to finance the party machine and distribute favours.