Concept of patron-clientelism as an analytical framework for the study of bilateral asymmetric relations between countries

The article is devoted to the analysis of the emergence and theoretical foundations of the patron-client concept as a new analytical tool for studying cooperation between states in the framework of asymmetric bilateral relations. The process and conditions of the rapid transfer of the patron-client model from anthropological research to a wide range of social sciences, including its adaptation to the needs of Western political science, are highlighted. In a broad sense, patron-client relationships are understood as a broad-based patronage by a powerful actor in exchange for the support and services of a weaker actor. At the same time, it is emphasized that the variability of these asymmetrical relationships is not so much rooted in the relations between the actors themselves, but in the socio-political context. The ideas and views of the American political scientists K. Carney, J. Spanier and K. Shoemaker, who laid the conceptual foundations for the application of the concept of patron-client relations to the study of international relations and world politics, are considered. It is emphasized that the driving force behind the formation of patron-client relations between two states is their significant asymmetry in military capabilities, which encourages the secondary state to see a potential patron as a provider of security. The article specifies four criteria proposed by C. Carney for determining interstate patronage relations – asymmetry, reciprocity, commitment, compliance, among which reciprocity and commitment are the elements that make these relations similar to friendly ones. The author of the article outlines three areas of international political studies where the concept of patron-clientelism is currently used: 1) great power patronage over medium and small states; 2) separatist conflicts; 3) state patronage over insurgent and political groups. The author also identifies promising aspects of theoretical research in this area.