The main objective of this article is to present a concept of political-electoral bargain ("clientelism") compatible with that of capitalist democracy. The argument is that the foundation of "clientelist" practices in not to be found in a heritage of pre-capitalist relations but rather in the capitalist social structure itself. Political citizenship involves as one alternative the competitive model analog to economic market. This approach is illustrated with an empirical study of a sub-region of Northeast Brazil.
clientelism; capitalist democracy; Brazilian Northeast