Which practice involves exchanging favors for political support, often linked to local patrons?

• A. Clientelism
• B. Sexenio
• C. Anticlericalism
• D. Ejidos

Answer: (A)

Clientelism is the practice of exchanging favors for political support through local patrons who provide concrete benefits in return for loyalty. In Mexican politics, these patron–client networks translate votes and active backing into tangible rewards—jobs, housing, services, or access to resources—creating a reciprocal relationship that helps keep the patron in power. This dynamic explains how political support can be secured not just by policy or ideology, but by material incentives funneled through local power brokers or party bosses.

This idea is distinct from other terms: the six-year presidential term is about duration of office, anticlericalism concerns church-state relations, and ejidos refer to communal land held collectively, not to reciprocal political exchanges.