Release:
2018, Vol. 4. №1About the author:
Lubov Yu. Zaytseva, Dr. Sci. (Hist.), Professor, Department of State and Municipal Management, Russian Academy of National Economy and the State Service under the RF President (Kurgan Branch); blik_32@mail.ruAbstract:
The author offers a methodological justification for the concept of “clientelism” as a modern geopolitical phenomenon that characterizes a unipolar world system of interconnection between the world leader and his clients. She refers to clientelism as the decoding of “liberal or voluntary colonialism”.
The analysis falls within the framework of the theory of individualization, which relies on the idea of combining elements of traditionalism, individuality and leadership in historical subjects. The world leader in any historical epoch put (using the mechanism of colonialism) under him- or herself the states and the people, who were not capable of opposition and counteraction to this process. In the modern world, the mechanism of colonialism has become global; yet, since the world leader has liberal features, his or her colonial system is voluntary for many clients.
The author reveals the content of “clientelism” as a historical phenomenon, not from the standpoint of factual history, but from the point of view of analytic history. She shows the essential content and essential properties of clientelism. This concept flourished for some time in a unipolar world system. However, for clientelism and a unipolar system, internal contradictions are inherent, which will objectively lead to their self-destruction. The author refers to at least three levels of crisis, inevitably developing in the clientelist model of the development of the world community. The client model is contrasted with the Russian model of multipolarity. In the conditions when Russia refused the role of the client of the world leader, the clientele system actively uses against Russia the technology of isolationism, double standards, and color revolutions.
The author reveals a clear relationship between clientelism and a unipolar world system and totalitarianism. Therefore, she concludes on the hopelessness of clientele and unipolar models and their degeneration. Despite the fact that the crisis phenomena in the clientele model are only just beginning, its disintegration is inevitable, at least, because it is infinitely impossible to maintain world leadership.
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