The Bandwagon Effect

The term "bandwagon effect" is thought to have originated in the 19th century, when it was used to describe the practice of politicians who would literally ride on a bandwagon as part of their campaign, in order to attract attention and supporters. The phrase "jump on the bandwagon" first appeared in American politics in 1848 during the presidential campaign of Zachary Taylor (the 12th President of the United States of America, serving from 1849 – 1850). Dan Rice (1823 – 1900) was a famous circus clown and entertainer of the time, who invited Taylor to join his circus bandwagon – literally to campaign for the presidency while on top of his circus bandwagon. As Taylor gained more recogni...View all