Everything for free: the keys to a political scam that continues to deceive many voters

"Panem et circenses" (bread and circuses). This was the name of a form of politics created in ancient Rome.

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Basically, this policy consisted of offering free food and circus performances to the common people to win their favor. It was a method used to gain power or simply to distract the masses from real problems, including political corruption. Several emperors used this method to keep the people happy, especially to win the favor of the less affluent citizens against the influential patricians. Today, the phrase "bread and circuses" is a prime example of demagoguery, the tactic some politicians use to win people's favor through flattery.

The "bread and circuses" of our time is called "everything for free." Some politicians promise voters all sorts of free services in exchange for their support. Basically, this method consist of buying voters' trust with their own money, since most of those who fall for this trick end up paying for these "free" services through tax increases. Given this, how is it possible that so many people continue to fall into this trap?

There are several possible explanations. The main one is that voters who trust these speeches always think that "everything for free" will be paid for by "the rich," a category from which these voters feel excluded and which they hate out of simple envy. The reality is that raising taxes on the rich has never been enough to fund free services in any country. Dispossessing a small minority never allows you to offer "everything for free" to the vast majority of the population.

In fact, both the wealthiest individuals and large corporations often have the means to escape what these politicians end up creating: a tax hell that affects almost everyone, but especially citizens with fewer resources and small and medium-sized enterprises. In the end, they are always the ones who suffer the most from tax increases, due to the flight of investors, job losses, and the rising cost of goods.

Another explanation for the success of this political scam is ignorance. Unfortunately, many people are ignorant of even the most basic economic concepts, and this lack of knowledge is exploited by unscrupulous charlatans who know perfectly well that their promises will damage the country's economy. These charlatans always look for scapegoats to blame for the ruin they create with their policies: the rich, capitalism, multinational corporations, Jews... It's a vile and despicable policy that degrades society and democracy, but it's very useful for these charlatans, as it allows them to evade all responsibility for the consequences of their economic policies.

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Image: Grok.