Wasta and Democratic Attitudes in the Middle East

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6160776
AutoresHannah M Ridge (0000-0002-8738-9527, University of Chicago, autor correspondente)
Ano2023
Volume16
Fascículo2
Páginas117-143
Data de publicação2023-10-31
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoMiddle East Law and Governance (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1876-3367 • E-ISSN: 1876-3375
EditoraBrill (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1163/18763375-20231409
OpenAlexW4388228523
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas13

The Middle East faces ongoing challenges in democratization and in corruption. This article examines the influence of wasta – a Middle Eastern form of clientelism – on citizens’ political attitudes. Although wasta is situated between citizen services and corruption, many citizens view wasta as corrupt. Using Arab Barometer survey data, this article shows that the widespread use of wasta in the Middle East makes citizens less satisfied with their current largely non-democratic governments. Wasta also increases their interest in democracy as an egalitarian alternative regime structure. Wasta users, however, are protective of the personal advantages that wasta networks afford them. Widespread wasta thus represents a challenge to democratization

Clientelism · Democracy · Democratization · Language change · Political science · Politics · Islamic Finance and Banking Studies · Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies · Law · Socioeconomic Development in MENA