Erica Frantz

So the research shows that as personalism in the party increases, the number of years of political and governing experience declines among the key elites. So there's a pretty strong connection there. And when these leaders create parties, and again, the Republican Party is somewhat anomalous there in that Trump did not create it, but they usually staff it with friends and family members.

So the research shows that as personalism in the party increases, the number of years of political and governing experience declines among the key elites. So there's a pretty strong connection there. And when these leaders create parties, and again, the Republican Party is somewhat anomalous there in that Trump did not create it, but they usually staff it with friends and family members.

And a really good example of that is El Salvador with Bukele. where he created Nueva Ideas. And first, I believe it was his childhood friend that was the head of the party. Today, it's his cousin. Many family members have key positions of power, and yet none of them had any governing or political experience. And that's pretty common because leaders...

And a really good example of that is El Salvador with Bukele. where he created Nueva Ideas. And first, I believe it was his childhood friend that was the head of the party. Today, it's his cousin. Many family members have key positions of power, and yet none of them had any governing or political experience. And that's pretty common because leaders...

tend to prioritize loyalty over competence where they can. We see that in authoritarian politics all the time. The problem, however, is that, as you might expect, it's not good for decision making to be surrounded by a bunch of sycophants. You want some sort of checks on some of these choices that leaders might float around. You want experience to inform the choices that leaders make.

tend to prioritize loyalty over competence where they can. We see that in authoritarian politics all the time. The problem, however, is that, as you might expect, it's not good for decision making to be surrounded by a bunch of sycophants. You want some sort of checks on some of these choices that leaders might float around. You want experience to inform the choices that leaders make.

So when we see these leaders kind of become surrounded by yes-men, we see a lot of really bad policy choices that often have really harmful foreign policy outcomes. In terms of the discussion of Trump...

So when we see these leaders kind of become surrounded by yes-men, we see a lot of really bad policy choices that often have really harmful foreign policy outcomes. In terms of the discussion of Trump...

Some of the ideas of the cabinet nominees that have been floated or published or announced, what have you, are very much consistent with what we would expect with a personalist leader in that we are seeing loyalty prioritized over competence. And it will be very important for the health of democracy in the U.S.,

Some of the ideas of the cabinet nominees that have been floated or published or announced, what have you, are very much consistent with what we would expect with a personalist leader in that we are seeing loyalty prioritized over competence. And it will be very important for the health of democracy in the U.S.,

if the Republican Party stands up to some of these cabinet nominees and pushes back against it. We've seen some of it play out in the media since Trump won the election, where there is some discord. And to me, that is pretty important and something to really look to moving forward.

if the Republican Party stands up to some of these cabinet nominees and pushes back against it. We've seen some of it play out in the media since Trump won the election, where there is some discord. And to me, that is pretty important and something to really look to moving forward.

That, you know, we want our cabinet officials and attorney generals and all these people to have political experience that's relevant to the job. It's a very important not only a check on Trump, but also it's an important constraint in terms of ensuring that we don't have really volatile policies coming out.

That, you know, we want our cabinet officials and attorney generals and all these people to have political experience that's relevant to the job. It's a very important not only a check on Trump, but also it's an important constraint in terms of ensuring that we don't have really volatile policies coming out.

That is an excellent example. And I'm going to take note of that because it does illustrate a lot of the dynamics that we point out in the book. It is very important that political elites see a career outside of the leader.

That is an excellent example. And I'm going to take note of that because it does illustrate a lot of the dynamics that we point out in the book. It is very important that political elites see a career outside of the leader.

And so when these leaders appoint their friends and loyalists to these key positions of power, those individuals know that they pretty much only have that position so long as they stay in the good favor of the leader. They don't have years of experience to fall back on to ensure that they can get a political post elsewhere.

And so when these leaders appoint their friends and loyalists to these key positions of power, those individuals know that they pretty much only have that position so long as they stay in the good favor of the leader. They don't have years of experience to fall back on to ensure that they can get a political post elsewhere.

So, when leaders are able to select these individuals to surround them in their support group, they pretty much know that these individuals are not going to push back against anything that they promote. And in fact, in some instances, they might endorse things that they know are unhealthy for democracy.

So, when leaders are able to select these individuals to surround them in their support group, they pretty much know that these individuals are not going to push back against anything that they promote. And in fact, in some instances, they might endorse things that they know are unhealthy for democracy.