Doing politics within the confines of restrictive norms : the case of St Lucia

Abstract

This article shows that prevailing socio-political norms contribute to a political culture of corruption and clientelism in the small island state of St Lucia. Drawing on interviews with members of parliament and senators, the study brings to evidence how entrenched norms determine the room for manoeuvre for these individuals to conduct their work. A political landscape has developed in which corruption has taken root, and in which there is neither political incentive nor will, to come to terms with fraudulent behaviour. The article also suggests that, on the few occasions that political representatives have attempted to act against this culture, the socio-political costs for the individual have been quite high.