Abstract

MANTILLA, Lucía. On the margins of power and the community: the "Political Culture" of clientelism. Espiral (Guadalaj.) [online]. 2013, vol.20, n.56, pp.39-66. ISSN 1665-0565.

This paper intends to underscore the differences among the concepts of politician, politics and political culture, so as to arrive at the impossibility of locating clientelism on the empty, instituting and discursive spot where the political aspects are located; this way it is also all the clearer to make out the distance between clientelism and power relations. If clientelism is political culture, it is necessary to add that it operates in reverse, inhibiting and smothering politics. Clientelism works through the control of resources and the distribution of privileges among the closer associates; when it is regarded as reciprocal exchange, disguised of moral values such as loyalty and solidarity, it refers back to the classic historical typology that opposes community to modern society. This perspective results insustainable in light of the proposal by Roberto Esposito.

Keywords : politician; politics; political culture; clientelism; community.

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