The foreign policy decisions of small, weak states often go overlooked in the international system. Most understandings of small states emphasize their limited foreign policy choices under the influence of larger, global powers. Yet, there are numerous examples of small states selecting their own foreign policies unencumbered by the international system. This study seeks out those examples and argues that weak states often have the freedom to form their own policies and positions uninfluenced by global powers. To explain the foreign policy decision-making process of small, weak states and explore the relationship between small and large powers, this paper asks when and how do small, weak client states choose to not comply with the demands of large patron states in patron-client relationships? The use of the patron-client framework is a valuable tool for analyzing the foreign policy selection process of small and large states interacting in dyadic relationships. To answer the question, the study examines three separate cases involving patron-client relationships. In each case, the United States serves as the patron state while El Salvador, Pakistan, and Thailand represent the separate client states. The case studies examine moments of client-driven noncompliance to reveal how small states form foreign policy decisions. Ultimately, small states not only wield significant control of their own foreign policy decisions, choosing not to comply with the demands of a stronger patron state, but they also form policy based off diverse considerations—including domestic factors, self-interest, and capacity to comply. Findings suggest that clients in international patron-client relationship have more influence over stronger states than current theories would suggest.

This paper investigates why patron states choose to adopt a passive strategy in relation to de facto states. Pål Kolstø from the University of Oslo has claimed that this strategy is based on the assumption that de facto states have nowhere else to turn. In this thesis, role theory is used to expand this claim. The paper argues that patron states can adopt a passive strategy in relation to their clients when they expect role coherence. This occurs when the perceptions of both actors of the patron’s role are in alignment. Role theory places emphasis on both leaders and followers in bilateral relations, which enables a deeper exploration of the perspectives of both actors. The selected case study focuses on the relationship between Russia and the de facto state Abkhazia, acknowledged by previous research as a client characterised by a high degree of defiance. Thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke was used to identify roles on which the study was based. The material encompasses 25 articles each from the Abkhaz newspaper Respublika Abkhaziya and Russian newspaper Izvestiya during the years 2019 and 2020.  The thesis concludes that role coherence was present in this relationship. Despite diverging attitudes and interests, the perception of Russia’s role was clearly reflected in Abkhaz media. The results indicate that role theory can be used to explore how patron states conduct foreign policy and enables a more comprehensive study of patron-client relationships.

Cette thèse postule qu’il est plus heuristique pour les Relations internationales (RI) de conceptualiser les relations patron-client interétatiques comme des hiérarchies internationales fondées sur des dettes de gratitude. Elle soutient plus précisément que les théoriciens des RI peuvent attester de la présence d’une hiérarchie patron-client lorsque trois conditions sont remplies. D’abord, une dette de gratitude, contractée par l’État subalterne, doit exister au sein de la relation bilatérale. Ensuite, la puissance patronale doit faire appel à ladite dette de gratitude pour exercer de l’autorité politique sur l’État subalterne. Finalement, ce dernier doit se subordonner à l’autorité politique de la puissance patronale en guise de gratitude pour un quelconque bénéfice reçu au cours de la relation bilatérale. Plus précisément, cette thèse soutient que l’émotion de gratitude est la force impérative qui, derrière l’échange de bénéfices internationaux, légitime, d’une part, l’autorité politique exercée par la puissance patronale et, d’autre part, oblige l’État subalterne à offrir sa subordination en guise de contredon international. Les cas de Cuba-États-Unis (1898-1902) et de Cuba-URSS (1959-1963) sont utilisés pour illustrer la validité heuristique de cette proposition théorique. Ce faisant, nous invitons les théoriciens des RI à dépasser le modèle patron-client (MPC) au profit d’une conceptualisation des relations patron-client qui insère la recherche sur le patronage interétatique au sein de deux tournants théoriques de la discipline des RI : les tournants hiérarchique et émotionnel. Cette thèse fait donc une contribution à chacun des tournants précités et établit un dialogue direct entre deux programmes de recherche qui travaillent jusqu’alors en silo. / This thesis argues that it is more heuristic for International Relations (IR) to conceptualize interstate patron-client relationships as international hierarchies built on debts of gratitude. It postulates that IR theorists can attest to the presence of a patron-client hierarchy when three conditions are met. First, a debt of gratitude, incurred by the subordinate state, must exist within the bilateral relationship. Then, the patronal power must appeal to said debt of gratitude to exercise political authority. Finally, the client state must subordinate itself to the political authority of the patronal power in gratitude for any benefit received during the bilateral relationship. The emotion of gratitude is therefore the imperative force which, behind the exchange of international benefits, legitimizes, on the one hand, the political authority exercised by the patronal power and, on the other hand, obliges the client state to offer its subordination as an international gift. The cases of Cuba-USA (1898-1902) and Cuba-USSR (1959-1963) are used to show the value of this theoretical proposition. In doing so, this thesis invites IR theorists to go beyond the patron-client model (PCM) and to favor a conceptualization that inserts research on interstate patronage within two theoretical turns in IR: the hierarchical and emotional turns. It not only contributes to each of the above-mentioned theoretical turns, but also establishes a direct dialogue between two research programs that have hitherto worked in silos.