Patron-Client relationships and critical services

[TheCurmudgeon]

I am working on a research project on patron-client relationships and the effect of "outside" entities (newly established governments and their external supporters like the U.S., NGOs, private industries) have on that traditional relationship when the outside entities attempt to provide critical services to the population (clients). I am looking for examples that I could use to answer these questions:

1. How do the Patrons view this interference (beyond the obvious)? Has anyone had personal contact with a Patron who was asking/demanding that these services either cease or be transferred to their control?

2. How do the Clients view this interference? Willingness to accept the services; expectations that the provider expand such services (become the new Patron);

3. Effect of these interferences on other parts of the social system? What were the third and forth order effects?

4. Solutions to these problems that worked?

5. The effect of an outside agency (for example, the U.S.) providing these services for a fledgling government have on the population's expectation of their government. Does it create a defacto patron-client relationship between the U.S. and the population? (support us or we will not give you goodies).

I do not want to assume too much about the patron-client relationship in each situation.

Thanks

[TheCurmudgeon]

I should have clarified what I meant by a patron-client relationship. Modifying a definition I found on the web it is:

An ongoing mutually obligatory relationship between an individual (the patron) who has authority, social status, wealth, or access to some other limited resource and another person (the client) who benefits from his or her support or influence. In return the client supports the patron through labor, a portion of his or her earning, or loyalty.

The relationship could be strictly economic/service oriented (as in the case of farmers who work the patron's land) or could be identity based (as in the case of real or artificial family or clan relationships).