Episodes

Wednesday Apr 22, 2026
Aris Trantidis - Why Should We Care About Clientelism?
Wednesday Apr 22, 2026
Wednesday Apr 22, 2026
In this episode, Alex speaks with Aris Trantidis about his book Clientelism and why it matters for anyone concerned with democracy, public choice, and the modern state. Trantidis explains clientelism as a system of political exchange in which politicians trade targeted favours, contracts, regulation, and other private benefits for support, campaign resources, and loyalty - arguing that this dynamic is not a "bug" but a structural feature of politics that can distort markets and democracy.
References
- Clientelism — Aris Trantidis
https://www.cambridge.org/ca/universitypress/subjects/economics/economics-general-interest/clientelism?format=PB - The Calculus of Consent - James M. Buchanan and Gordon Tullock
https://a.co/d/0fslxBBZ - The Logic of Collective Action - Mancur Olson
https://a.co/d/06w0x507 - The Selectorate Theory and International Politics - Bruce Bueno de Mesquita & Randolph M Siverson
https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/62239/chapter-abstract/550747911?redirectedFrom=fulltext - The Myth of the Rational Voter - Bryan Caplan
https://a.co/d/0cufjmjt
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