Political capital

Political capital can be understood as a metaphor used in political theory to conceptualize the accumulation of resources and power built through relationships, trust, goodwill, and influence between politicians or parties and other stakeholders, such as constituents.

[5] Like money, Banfield says, political capital must be spent and saved wisely, or a politician would be “out of business” before long.

Political capital is sometimes theorized in terms of objectification, or applying concrete forms to the otherwise abstract concept.

Some theorists consider things like the number of votes, people present at a meeting, protesters present at a march, money donated to a political campaign, public opinion survey results, and other factors to be objectified or material and measurable elements of political capital.

Political capital can also be wasted, such as by failed attempts to promote unpopular policies that are not central to a politician's agenda.