Neopatrimonialism Revisited - Beyond a Catch-All Concept

Abstract

The article provides a critical discussion of the literature on “patrimonialism” and\n“neopatrimonialism” as far as the use in Development Studies in general or African Studies\nin particular is concerned. To overcome the catch-all use of the concept the authors\npresent their own definition of “neopatrimonialism” based on Max Weber’s concept of\npatrimonialism and legal-rational bureaucracy. However, in order to make the concept\nmore useful for comparative empirical research, they argue, it needs a thorough operationalisation\n(qualitatively and quantitatively) and the creation of possible subtypes\nwhich, in combination, might contribute to a theory of neopatrimonial action.