In this seminar, Dr Dylan Vernon discussed findings from his recent book 'Political Clientelism and Democracy in Belize: From My Hand to Yours' (UWI Press 2022).
In states across the Commonwealth Caribbean, political clientelism – where politicians hand out resources and services in return for political support – is deeply entrenched but rarely discussed. Presenting Belize as a critical case of rampant political clientelism in the region, 'Political Clientelism and Democracy' highlights how handout politics took root during the nationalist period and expanded exponentially after political independence. Drawing comparative insights with other Caribbean states, the book deconstructs the widespread day-to-day practices of entrenched clientelist politics in Belize, the multiple actors involved, the deleterious implications for social democracy and the herculean challenge of Caribbean politicians and citizens breaking their mutual clientelist dependency.
