The brokers as a Social Policy Network

Abstract

The available literature explains that brokers can count on the support of the poor in the secret ballot because brokers monitor how they cast their votes or because the poor reciprocate the favor they receive from their brokers by voting as their brokers indicate. This paper presents brokers’ capabilities to carry on highly focalized social policies. These capabilities allow us to understand why the poor abide by the clientelistic deal. The poor vote as their brokers tell them to secure the solutions that brokers provide to their problems. Based on 120 in-depth personal interviews with brokers, this paper shows brokers’ deep knowledge of their neighbors and readiness to provide solutions to the poor’s problems.