Politicians across the political spectrum have long used financial incentives to win over voters, a strategy rooted in the historical practice of clientelism. From offering direct payments to expanding social programs, leaders often deploy fiscal policies as a way to secure public support. Critics argue such moves can distort economic priorities and deepen political divisions. The trend raises questions about whether short-term gains come at the cost of long-term stability.
Whether it’s Trump, Orbán or Vance, opening the fiscal purse to appease a grumbling public is a classic move made by history’s practitioners of clientelism.
