Clientelistic Linkage Mechanisms in Asia, 2009 – 2023: DALP II Evidence

• In Event: Political Partisan Linkages in Competitive Party Systems: DALP II 2022-24 Survey

Abstract

Asia is a region characterized by varying degrees of democratic consolidation and diverse political institutions, in both type and in their strength and stability. Data from two waves of the DALP survey (2008-2009 and 2022-2024) enable us to reflect on the region's diverse political dynamics through both intra-regional and intertemporal descriptive information on the party organization and clientelistic transactions of 10 countries in East, South, and Southeast Asia.

We aim to characterize the nature of party organization within these nations, from their geographic extensiveness and embeddedness to the level of centralization in decision-making, along with changes over time. A central focus of our analysis is on understanding the clientelistic linkage mechanisms. First, we assess the prevalence of different types of inducements used by politicians to influence citizens' voting behaviors, including both voting and abstaining, and examine any changes between the two survey waves. Second, we explore the characteristics of brokers involved in clientelistic efforts, examining aspects such as their occupational profiles, the durability of their relationships with political parties and voters, and their political ambitions. Third, we investigate the contingent nature of these exchanges by examining the monitoring efforts of politicians and political parties. Fourth, we discuss the demographic characteristics of the targets of clientelistic transactions, along with any potential changes over time. Fifth, we examine experts' perceptions of the effectiveness of clientelistic efforts in Asian nations and how this effectiveness has changed between the two survey rounds.

Furthermore, the paper also delves into the relationship between parties' organizational structures and the attributes of their clientelistic process mechanisms. It explores how features of party organizations correlate with the nature and efficacy of clientelistic exchanges, providing a deeper understanding of the dynamics of political mobilization in Asia.

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Authors

• Yi-ting Wang, National Cheng Kung University

• Songkhun Nillasithanukroh, University of Arkansas