Difference between revisions of "Political capital"
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| − | '''Political capital''' is | + | '''Political capital''' is the influence and good will that a politician has obtained through electoral success, earning respect or inciting trepidation among peers, scoring political points with others, or popularity with the public. |
| − | The term came to prominence when [[President]] [[George W. Bush]] used it numerous times following his victory in the 2004 presidential election.<ref>Schlafly, Phyllis (01-05-2005) [http://www.eagleforum.org/column/2005/jan05/05-01-05.html ''Spending Bush's "Political Capital"''] | + | Political capital can be gained or spent. It is gained by improving one's political stature with allies and adversaries. It is spent by accomplishing difficult goals by overcoming intense opposition, sometimes incurring bitterness afterwards. Similar to real capital, political capital can be wasted by poor strategic decision, ineffectiveness, and incompetence. |
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| + | In elections, the winners gain political capital simply by prevailing. But in other political contests, it is not always immediately clear whether political capital was gained or lost. Winning can cause more animosity than what was politically gained, in which case the victor spent political capital rather than acquire it. Losing can build political capital if the cause was just and sympathies accrue based on the effort. | ||
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| + | The term came to prominence when [[President]] [[George W. Bush]] used it numerous times following his victory in the 2004 presidential election.<ref>Schlafly, Phyllis (01-05-2005) [http://www.eagleforum.org/column/2005/jan05/05-01-05.html ''Spending Bush's "Political Capital"'']</ref> | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Political Terms]] | [[Category:Political Terms]] | ||
Revision as of 04:45, April 24, 2017
Political capital is the influence and good will that a politician has obtained through electoral success, earning respect or inciting trepidation among peers, scoring political points with others, or popularity with the public.
Political capital can be gained or spent. It is gained by improving one's political stature with allies and adversaries. It is spent by accomplishing difficult goals by overcoming intense opposition, sometimes incurring bitterness afterwards. Similar to real capital, political capital can be wasted by poor strategic decision, ineffectiveness, and incompetence.
In elections, the winners gain political capital simply by prevailing. But in other political contests, it is not always immediately clear whether political capital was gained or lost. Winning can cause more animosity than what was politically gained, in which case the victor spent political capital rather than acquire it. Losing can build political capital if the cause was just and sympathies accrue based on the effort.
The term came to prominence when President George W. Bush used it numerous times following his victory in the 2004 presidential election.[1]
References
- ↑ Schlafly, Phyllis (01-05-2005) Spending Bush's "Political Capital"