ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the political and social structure that had emerged by the mid-1980s with the growth of clientelist politics in Greece. It discusses the centrality of clientelism as a tool for political mobilization, the evolution of clientelism as a prominent mode of interest accommodation and the infiltration of patronage in labor and professional organizations. To finance the increasing needs of patronage supply, the Greek governments followed a loose incomes policy and an expansionary fiscal policy. The infiltration of civil society via patronage allowed PASOK and New Democracy to occupy a hegemonic position in Greek politics, society and economy. Clientelist networks undermined the autonomy of labor unions from the party. PASOK, in particular, became the dominant political force in labor unions and the public sector. The social heterogeneity of party members of both New Democracy and PASOK, party cohesion was largely dependent on the availability of resources offered to organized clients collectively and individually.
