Politics & Government
The Ethics of Political Lying in Liberal Democracies
Quick fact
In a 2018 survey, 58% of Americans said it was 'sometimes necessary' for politicians to lie for the good of the country, yet 74% also said lying by politicians makes them angry. This tension reveals the deep moral ambiguity of political deception.
Why this is interesting
We expect politicians to lie to us at some point—yet we also get outraged when they do. Why is political lying both so common and so controversial in democratic societies?