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The Tragedy of Clientelism: Opting Children Out

Author

Listed:
  • Ronconi, Lucas

    (University of Buenos Aires)

  • Zarazaga, Rodrigo

    (Centro de Investigación y Acción Social (CIAS))

Abstract

Governments in new democracies launch social policies with the purported goal of alleviating the effects of poverty among the most vulnerable households, usually low income families with children. However, this goal is can be thwarted by the clientelistic distribution of social policies' benefits because politicians seek to maximize political support and children do not vote. Based on the main Argentine household survey and on personal interviews with 120 brokers, this paper shows that brokers collect information on family size and age composition and allocate temporary public works programs that are in excess demand discriminating against families with children not old enough to vote.

Suggested Citation

  • Ronconi, Lucas & Zarazaga, Rodrigo, 2017. "The Tragedy of Clientelism: Opting Children Out," IZA Discussion Papers 10973, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp10973
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    4. Stokes, Susan C., 2005. "Perverse Accountability: A Formal Model of Machine Politics with Evidence from Argentina," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 99(3), pages 315-325, August.
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    7. Rodrigo Zarazaga, 2016. "Party machines and voter-customized rewards strategies," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 28(4), pages 678-701, October.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Latin America; clientelism; household; discrimination; social policy; Argentina;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K40 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - General
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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