‘Up Close and Personal’ – How does Local Democracy Help the Poor Access the State? Stories of Accountability and Clientelism in Johannesburg

The paper revisits participation and decentralization in relation to local clientelism, arguing that they share the personalization of links between residents and the state and the local possibility to adapt state policies. The line between decentralization-participation on the one hand, and cliente...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Asian and African studies (Leiden) 2011-10, Vol.46 (5), p.453-464
Main Author: Bénit-Gbaffou, Claire
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accountability
Architecture, space management
Clientelism
Community Organizations
Decentralization
Democracy
Gauteng
Geography
Humanities and Social Sciences
Johannesburg, South Africa
Local politics
Participation
Patronage
Political participation
Political science
Politicians
Power relations
Power Structure
Residents
Social Movements
South Africa
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Summary:The paper revisits participation and decentralization in relation to local clientelism, arguing that they share the personalization of links between residents and the state and the local possibility to adapt state policies. The line between decentralization-participation on the one hand, and clientelism on the other, is therefore easily blurred. The paper then argues that clientelism is not per se anti-democratic, some forms allow for local and immediate accountability of politicians. However, in most cases, it contributes to fragment or sedate local organizations or social movements and it prevents contestation of existing policies and dominant power structures. The paper thus challenges the idea that the promotion of decentralization and participatory institutions intrinsically leads to more democratic forms of government.
ISSN:0021-9096
1745-2538
DOI:10.1177/0021909611415998