This thesis seeks to explore at the subnational level the interaction between the level of socioeconomic development and the functioning of the political regime. Specifically, it evaluates whether modernization theories can explain the state of democracies at the subnational level, as has been seen in several countries over the years, or if, on the contrary, the level of economic development does not have the expected relationship with the quality of democracy. To be more specific, we will try to reveal the conditions under which there is a paradoxical relationship between democracy and development in Santander, characterized by the existence of economic growth, reduction in poverty and uninterrupted elections, but with a low quality democracy dominated by a few families, clans or political parties whose exercise of government is accompanied by semi-illegal, corrupt and openly clientelistic practices.
