Conditionality & Coercion

[The book] represents a huge contribution both theoretically and empirically. The latter is not only to be commended because of its methodological inventiveness, but also due to the demanding original data collection strategy focusing on actual individuals—putting the 'social' into social scientific research. * Máté Mátyás, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow and PhD Candidate, Corvinus University, Budapest, Hungary, Europe-Asia Studies *
Mares and Young use both ethnographic and survey evidence to analyze everyday politics in poor rural regions of Hungary and Romania. Local politicians use their discretion in allocating state resources to buy votes; they also exploit political differences within the community by applying welfare programs in a coercive manner, thus attracting support from the working poor. This signaling blurs the distinction between clientilistic and programmatic appeals. Threats seem to be more effective than gifts, and employers or moneylenders are often used as intermediaries. Such tactics are used by parties on both the Right and the Left. A flawed electoral system combines with such factors as corruption and poverty to lead to widespread disillusionment with the efficacy of democracy. Exemplary in its use of both qualitative and quantitative methods, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of electoral politics around the world. * P. Rutland, Wesleyan University, CHOICE *
Mares and Young deliver a theoretically incisive and methodologically innovative analysis of clientelistic practices in postcommunist polities that is obligatory reading for any student of electoral politics. It vividly demonstrates that different forms of clientelism, and particularly the prevalence of coercive modes of targeted political exchange, are embedded in distinctive social and political settings. Empirically, the authors base their analysis on some of the highestquality data ever collected in the study of clientelism, both through systematic surveys as well as through ethnographic work with hundreds of qualitative interviews yielding empirically and theoretically pertinent-if not shocking-insights. * Herbert Kitschelt, Duke University *
Conditionality and Coercion fills an important gap in the study of clientelism by explaining when and why politicians use different strategies at their disposal, and particularly how they balance positive and negative inducements. Mares and Young's most novel theoretical intuition is that the choice of strategies sends informational signals to voters, extending the reach of any clientelistic exchange beyond its recipient. Policymakers and students of democracy have much to learn from this innovative book about the often subtle ways coercion is deployed for electoral gain. * Jessica Gottlieb, Texas A&M *
Combining evidence from largescale surveys and intensive fieldwork, Isabela Mares and Lauren Young show how and why politicians mix different clientelistic strategies-including crucially both persuasion and coercion-to signal their policy preferences. Scholars of clientelism and Eastern European politics will benefit equally from reading this outstanding book. * Thad Dunning, University of California Berkeley *
This sophisticated, rigorous, and meticulously documented analysis demonstrates that clientelism takes a surprising variety of forms-and that coercion and voter intimidation, rather than voluntary exchange and favors, can fundamentally characterize these relationships. This fascinating and compelling study redefines our understanding of clientelism, coercion, and class politics. * Anna GrzymalaBusse, Stanford University *