ABSTRACT
In the modern world, when a democracy backslides or regimes are established which are neither democratic nor authoritarian, researchers try to identify them and give them a name by making reference to theories from the early twentieth century. Thus, Max Weber described a system where authority is based on family ties, patron-client networks, and personal loyalty, alongside the existence of formal rules and regulations. He named this system “patrimonialism.” Patrimonialism can be found all over the world, has existed throughout history, and is not limited to non-Western countries. Patrimonialism can be understood in different ways: as a rival, ally, or tool of the bureaucracy, as a model of quasi-bureaucratic rule, and as an extension of patriarchy. 1 The term patrimonial regime means that it is not a transitional type; it partially inherits some aspects of traditions, and is understood in terms of these aspects. Patrimonialism relies on the personal nature of power relations, the inequality between a lord and subordinates, and the appropriation of the state, but it is not just personalism and instability. 2 Patrimonial politics is the monopolization of public office by members of a political clique that uses the resources derived from their mandate to maximize their power base and their clientele. 3
