Nostrum:
- A medicine prepared by an unqualified person, especially one that is not considered effective.
‘a charlatan who sells nostrums’- A scheme or remedy for bringing about some social or political reform or improvement.
‘right-wing nostrums such as a wage freeze and cutting public spending’ [Oxford Dictionaries]
Noted in “Democracy is in crisis around the world. Why?” Max Boot, WaPo:
These trends are driven mainly by automation, but it is easy for demagogues to put the blame on supposedly disloyal elites such as international bankers, trade partners that are supposedly ripping us off, and immigrants who are supposedly stealing jobs and bringing crime. Conveniently enough, the nostrums pushed by autocratic populists exacerbate the very problems they claim to be addressing, deepening the crisis that gives them the excuse to rule. (Trump-supporting counties have done worse under Trump than counties where the majority voted for Hillary Clinton.)
