Higher clientelism linked to lower consumption
Comparing Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure per capita (constant 2015 US$) with Clientelism Index across 150 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- -0.63
- Holding size constant
- -0.49
- Countries compared
- 150
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
The negative correlation between clientelism and household consumption expenditure per capita might suggest that countries with more pervasive clientelistic practices tend to have lower standards of living. A careful reader should be cautious about potential confounders, such as institutional quality or corruption levels, which could influence both indicators. The relationship may be driven by underlying factors rather than a direct link between the two variables.
Why this is not proof of anything
This is a correlation across countries, not an experiment. It cannot show that either indicator causes the other, and both may simply follow a third thing. This correlation could mislead by implying a causal relationship when in fact both variables may be driven by deeper structural or institutional factors.
The second figure above repeats the measurement with national population and income held constant. It is the more conservative number: a relationship that largely disappears there was mostly telling you that larger, richer countries have more of most things.
How this was measured
Both indicators were ranked across every country reporting each, and the two rankings compared — ranks rather than raw values, because a handful of very large countries can otherwise manufacture a relationship on their own. The calculation is arithmetic over figures already published on this site; the commentary above is drafted from the two indicator names and the resulting coefficients.