Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

Get access

Cronyism
(774 words)

The term cronyism, already in use in the early modern period, describes networks based on kinship within groups of political and economic decision-makers, with their action strategies guided by familial self-interest [3. 227]. Today the term has been extended to relationships between local actors such as politicians and business people that do not have ties of kinship. In this usage, it is not always possible to draw a sharp line between cronyism and such phenomena as patronage (Clientele), oligarchy, and especially nepotism.

In early modern villages, the development of su…

Cite this page
Mahlerwein, Gunter, “Cronyism”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_029759>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170206



▲   Back to top   ▲