Answer to Question #132468 in Political Science for Vee

Question

What are the critiques of the notion of Neopatrimonialism.

Answer 1

Neopatrimonialism is a social class system where people have power and connection, enabling them to use public resources to gain others' loyalty. In this case, the patrons benefit from state resources to win the hearts of their clients in the general public. The system can be seen as a patron-client informal relationship. The criticism of neopatrimonialism includes its ability to jeopardize and replace the country's bureaucratic structure, leaving power to individuals with connections but not all leaders. Further, it is bound to undermine political formations and the rule of law, hence exhibiting corruption of the highest order. Although neopatrimonialism is not always illegal, many people perceive it as a significant source of unlawful activities among leaders in a state.