Forbes Guest Commentary: The failure of Hungarian crony capitalism should serve as a cautionary tale for the American business world as well.

Donald Trump plans to distribute $5,000 checks to encourage Americans to vote for Republican candidates in the upcoming midterm elections. This strategy is seen as a classic authoritarian move, drawing parallels to Hungary's political tactics under Viktor Orbán. Forbes contributor Bylan Simmons warns that such attempts to buy political loyalty with state funds can lead to negative consequences, as demonstrated by Orbán's earlier measures to secure his power, including tax breaks and additional pensions. Despite these efforts, he was ultimately ousted after 16 years in power.