Next week, on 3 November, America will hold its midterm elections. They are so called because they are held in the middle of a president’s four-year term. American parliamentarians, called Congressmen, face elections every two years. A lame-duck president is a term used to describe a leader in his last two years in office, as Trump will be after 3 November. A lame duck is a leader whom the party recognises is riding into the sunset and who therefore finds it difficult to enforce his agenda.

Donald Trump will be especially lame if his party, the Republicans, loses control of one or both chambers of Congress. He will not be able to get the legislation he wants passed, secure the appointment of judges or get officials confirmed. Equally importantly, the Opposition can go after him and his family by opening investigations and then holding impeachment and other types of hearings.

The reason this election is interesting is that it will reveal something about human nature. The assumption of democratic systems is that individuals vote rationally and do not vote in tribal fashion. This means voters cast ballots in support of policies and not fantasies, particularly if the person they elect produces negative outcomes while in office.

Opinion polls suggest that Trump is one of the most unpopular US presidents in recent history. The majority of Americans, including those who voted him........

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