Political Dynasties, Nepotism, and Patronage as Drivers of Social Inequality in the Philippines: A Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22337789Keywords:
clientelism, nepotism, patronage, political dynasties, political representation, social inequalityAbstract
Political dynasties, nepotism, and patronage are entrenched features of Philippine governance that concentrate political power within influential families and networks, shaping how resources, opportunities, and authority are distributed across society. Objective: This systematic literature review aimed to synthesize empirical evidence on how political dynasties, nepotism, and patronage function as structural drivers of social inequality in the Philippines, examine how these constructs are conceptualized and measured, and identify the mechanisms and gaps reported in the literature. Methods: Guided by the PRISMA 2020 framework, a systematic search of Google Scholar and ProQuest using Boolean strings identified 547 records. After screening, 105 studies underwent full-text review, 87 were excluded, and 19 empirical studies published between 2010 and 2025 met the inclusion criteria and were synthesized thematically. Results: Political dynasties concentrated power within select families and limited political competition; nepotism shaped political appointments through familial ties rather than merit; and patronage sustained clientelist relationships that rewarded political loyalty with access to public resources. These mechanisms were consistently associated with unequal access to public services, restricted political representation, weaker education and health outcomes, and reduced social mobility for marginalized groups. Conclusion: Political dynasties, nepotism, and patronage function as interlocking structural barriers to equitable governance in the Philippines. Addressing them requires merit-based appointments, limits on dynastic succession, transparent resource allocation, and sustained longitudinal and comparative research.
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