In so many developed nations political dishonesty greatly diminishes the possibilities to reach stability in the political and governance systems and to achieve sustainable development.
Deception, sensationalization, and deceit are some of the deceitful political maneuvers that politicians apply to cling on to the people’s power. This is a phenomenon that was developed from their historical, economic and the social set up of these nations with weak institutional frameworks and little accountability for the said activities. The consequences are manifold and widespread: undermine the institutional trust, freeze corruption as a cyclical process and hamper the advancement of growth and people’s well-being.
Most of the developing countries have had post-colonial, authoritarian and politically unstable histories making it seem like the world is devoid of good managers and the world has encouraged this tradition of murdering and getting away with it. However, this environment is used by politicians especially in the time of an election where they can make a lot of promises but they have no ability to fulfill them.
This pattern erodes confidence and fosters a lack of hope and suspicion in the populace. Therefore, as promises are not implemented, and socio economic conditions either fail to improve or can worsen, the citizens are turned off the political process which results either in an ivory tower psychological state or an angry rebellious one
In addition the structural flaws of the third world country like no education, no information and restricted media freedom make the situation worse. Remember, an ignorant voter is an easy target, so politicians act to lie or bring prejudice against a particular minority so the people don’t notice their incompetence. It not only results in creating ignorance but also disrupts unity and harmony in the society and thus creates instability in state. I have considered numerous examples of the use of lies in politics and concluded that they are both a cause and an effect of corruption. Several politicians are self-serving and operate under the culture of corruption whereby they steal resources which could reduce the living standards of the population. All these amount to misallocation of resources that hamper the potentiality of the state to deliver basic needs and amenities, which in turn, deepens poverty and social injustice.
When corruption persists, honest public service is eliminated, and it then becomes a cycle where a number of people benefit from power and resources and the many suffer. The international aspect also contributes to this process. The nations of the third world provide the first world nations and international organizations with ready-made grounds for their interference in their internal affairs when necessary. Politicians might manipulate the facts and the terms of various international treaties or foreign aid programs, and portray them as much more advantageous than they actually are in order to garner public approval or to obscure the sacrifices made in secret negotiations.
The deceitfulness of politicians from the third world contributes to the inability of such states to form healthy, sustainable polities by weakening trust and promoting corruption and socio-economic destituteness. These lies, based on historical patterns and supported by structural flaws, form a vicious cycle that seems almost impossible to escape. To confront this problem it is essential to build up institutions, raise awareness, and enhance transparency and accountability. Only then can these developing countries look forward to establishing stable, prosperous, and just societies.
Analyzing the reasons why politicians lie and how this manipulates the political process provides a deeper insight into the problems of democratic institutions and the role of truth in politics. Lies in political campaigns are not unique; they have been in existence since the beginning of political struggles. The history of the use of politics in lying can be traced from the ornaments of ancient emperors to the distortions of the contemporary presidents. Even though lies have always been significant in politics, the diffusion of mass media and digital communication has intensified the effects of political lies, making it essential for scholars, policymakers, and citizens to explore this phenomenon.
As with many types of falsehoods, political ones can be classified by certain parameters and serve different goals. These are actual statements that have no connection to reality and were invented out of thin air. Another reason is that politicians may choose to tell the public totally untruths, either for the purpose of hoodwinking the public or for the purpose of vilifying their opponents. These are sometimes referred to as lying by omission, and they involve creating an appearance of an unfavorable or a favorable situation.
Newspaper articles show that politicians especially exaggerate in order to make their accomplishments seem impressive or the achievements of their opponents seem unimpressive. A half-truth is thus a statement, which while providing some truth information, leaves out some information which, if given, would change the understanding one has regarding a certain matter. This can be a very powerful kind of lie because it is less easily dismissed than is a flat out falsehood. Spin refers to the act of disseminating information to favor or alter public perception in a certain manner.
Although not always lying directly, spin can be misleading by presenting a half or even full truth in different lights. Lying can involve politicians ignoring facts and denying the information in an effort to avoid being associated with it. This tactic is particularly used in scandals or crises to manage and avoid negative repercussions. There are several reasons why politicians have to lie. Because elections are a race that results in someone’s victory, politics and their performers do not shy away from lying. This means that fear of losing support or votes is what makes politicians lie about what they have done, what they intend to do, or their rivals.
Why do politicians lie? Politicians may lie so as to entrench their power and authority further. It is used to sway the people, dictate political discourse, and counter perceived challenges to their power. In its rawest form, politicians lie because they hold a certain political belief that the ends justify the means. They believe in ‘the ends shall justify the means. ’Politicians may feel empowered in certain liberal democracies lacking in accountability mechanisms for the purpose of lying.
If the media, judiciary, and other oversight bodies do not act to their capacity, then there are high chances of political dishonesty. However, while lack of trust may diminish the likelihood of a politician telling the truth, it can also generate a permissive atmosphere for lying. If voters are cynical and go to vote expecting to be fed with lies they will be more tolerant or less inclined to penalize a candidate. Thus, political lies have severe and varied effects that can resonate for an extended period.
Research indicates that hearing lies in politics significantly diminishes citizens’ trust in political leaders and the democratic process. All too often, citizens feel that they are being lied to and as a result they become distanced from the democratic process which undermines the very fabric of these systems. Policy decisions can be based on false information, which will result in inefficient policy-making. That is, when information is false or misleading, it is very hard to formulate appropriate policies that would meet and solve the current problems. The political lies became worse since it tends to increase the gap of social division between people. Politicians are able to amplify the divisions and pitch voters towards ‘the enemy camp’ by simply fabricating stories and vilifying competitors.
Lies reduce the responsibility of political leaders. When men continue to utter falsehoods, and they are not checked immediately or punished severely, they will continue to lie. They can also negatively impact a country’s reputation and relations with other nations. Diplomatic trust is imperative; thus, whenever political leaders are found to be in a position where they are known to have been tendering with falsehoods, then diplomatic trust is likely to be eroded, and this will result in diplomatic mistrust.
In many countries politicians have great influence over the media. Another tool employed is the manipulation of messages disseminated by state owned and supported media outlets as well as some outlets in the private sector. In the modern world that has been flooded with different social networks, politicians have received new ways of telling lies. The use of fake news, manipulated images and false posts is frequent with the aim of subverting the public and delegitimizing rivals. Governments often employ speeches and rallies so that they get to talk to people directly. These platforms are usually employed to make exalted but false statements, inciting support for the statements rather than basing it on facts. Government reports and documents are sometimes manipulated to present a skewed view of reality. Selective presentation of data and omission of unfavorable information are common tactics.
In order to provide an insight into what political lies are and what causes them, it is necessary to refer to concrete examples. The Watergate scandal entailed a sequence of untruths and exercises in concealment by President Richard Nixon and his team regarding their complicity in unlawful proceedings. Nixon had to resign from the presidency as a result of the scandal and people learned that political manipulation is a serious issue.
In the bhe Brexit campaign featured numerous exaggerated and misleading claims from both sides. One notable example was the Leave campaign’s assertion that the UK sent £350 million a week to the EU, which could be redirected to the National Health Service (NHS). This claim was widely criticized as misleading. Under the leadership of President Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan government has been accused of numerous lies, including falsifying economic data and denying the extent of the humanitarian crisis. These lies have contributed to the country’s ongoing turmoil and loss of international credibility. The administration of Hugo Chávez and later Nicolás Maduro made numerous false claims about economic prosperity and social welfare programs.
These lies masked severe economic mismanagement, resulting in a humanitarian crisis. Under Robert Mugabe’s leadership, the government repeatedly lied about the state of the economy and the success of land reforms. These falsehoods, combined with corruption, led to hyperinflation, economic collapse, and widespread poverty. Persistent corruption and false promises by successive governments have left Nigeria grappling with economic instability, widespread poverty, and significant security challenges despite its vast oil wealth. In 2003, the Bush administration justified the invasion of Iraq by claiming that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. This assertion, which was later proven false, had significant geopolitical consequences and eroded public trust.
Addressing the issue of political lies involves a concerted effort of different parties and people in society. Media performs the social function of disseminating information to the public as well as informing the public. The desire to tell the truth, as well as checking sources and politicians’ statements, can help prevent the usage of fake information. Civic education at its core entails making the citizen wake up and realize that it is possible to differentiate between a truth and a lie. An informed voter is less vulnerable to being deceived by lies from politicians; thus, electorate education should be encouraged.
One of the ways through which this can be achieved is through the enactment of laws and regulations which address cases where the public officials engage in deliberate misinformation and this attracts punishment. Further, accountability may be promoted by improving the relevant institutions supervising the political activity, for example, ethics commissions. Thus, fostering a higher level of openness regarding the actions and decisions made by the government can decrease the likelihood of deceitful decisions being made by politicians. Open data initiatives and open access to information are some of the measures towards this end. Another role that civil society organizations can effectively engage in is to police the political discourse to ensure that it is truthful. Funding these organizations improves their ability to make politicians answerable for their actions.
Lies in politics is one of the emerging social vices that affect society and any form of leadership. Although political deceit is practiced for various reasons, it only contributes to negative effects that include erosion of trust, polarization, enactment of poor policies, and challenges to democratic institutions. To address the above challenge, there is a need for a multi-stakeholder approach that encompasses media accountability, media civics, legal, transparency, and civil society engagement. Thus, addressing the causes and minimizing the consequences of political falsehoods can help society begin the path towards a more informed, sincere, and reliable political process.
Author: Rana Danish Nisar – Independent international analyst of security, defense, military, contemporary warfare and digital-international relations.
(The views expressed in this article belong only to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Geostrategic Insights).
Image Credit: Ed Everett