Bases of elite support for a regime: Race, Ideology, and Clientelism as Bases for Leaders in Guyana and Trinidad Article

Hintzen, PC. (1983). Bases of elite support for a regime: Race, Ideology, and Clientelism as Bases for Leaders in Guyana and Trinidad . COMPARATIVE POLITICAL STUDIES, 16(3), 363-391. 10.1177/0010414083016003004

cited authors

  • Hintzen, PC

authors

abstract

  • The attitudes, patterns of alignments, and composition of the most powerful and influential leaders in Guyana and Trinidad—selected by a two-stage positional-reputational method—are compared and the findings related to the different developmental strategies adopted by the two governments: third world socialism in the case of Guyana, and capitalism in the Trinidadian case. It is shown that clientelistic co-optation and, to a lesser extent, appeals to race can and do overcome ideologically rooted opposition to a ruling party; however, when the regime's ideological position, as reflected in its policies, is compatible with elite interests, the importance of race and clientelism declines, except for co-optation of leaders representing lower class interests. In both countries, the composition of the group of elites shows a proliferation of those representing middle- and upper-class socioeconomic sectors of the society. © 1983, SAGE PUBLICATIONS. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • January 1, 1983

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 363

end page

  • 391

volume

  • 16

issue

  • 3