Caciquismo

thumb|Cartoon from the republican magazine (1869-1876) denouncing caciquism and electoral fraud. It shows the liberal Sagasta, perched on the "[[universal suffrage" funnel, at the head of a cohort of caciques and members of the forces of law and order carrying ballot boxes and pushing wheelbarrows of votes, followed by "canned municipal councils", prisoners, peasants and workers, the latter of whom "vote the dead".]] Caciquism is a network of political power wielded by local leaders called "", aimed at influencing electoral outcomes. It is a feature of some modern-day societies with incomplete democratization.

In historiography, journalism, and intellectual circles of the era, the term describes the political system of the Bourbon Restoration in Spain (1874-1923). Joaquín Costa's influential essay '' ("Oligarchy and Caciquism") in 1901 popularized the term. Nonetheless, caciquism was also prevalent in earlier periods in the country, particularly during the reign of Isabella II. It was also utilized in other systems, such as in Portugal during the Constitutional Monarchy (1820-1910) as well as in Argentina and Mexico during a similar time period.