Political scandal occurs when a politician commits an illegal act that is related to their official duties, such as accepting bribes or trading in influence. Such behavior undermines the public’s trust in politicians, and may result in investigations or resignations. Whether it is motivated by greed, power, lust or moral bankruptcy, the pursuit of ill-gotten gains is the core of most political corruption cases.
Media coverage of political scandal is a vital component in public awareness and the subsequent pressure on politicians to respond. The impact of scandals on politics and governance, however, can be complex. For example, researchers have found that the political context in which a scandal unfolds can shape its impact, influencing perceptions of misconduct and calling for reform.
Polarization accelerates the production of political scandals, because aligned parties seek to shelter their politicians from allegations and opposing parties want to convince voters that they should demand resignations. This dynamic reduces the negative consequences of scandal, but it also incentivizes bad behavior by politicians as they are unlikely to suffer any real consequence.
In this episode of Politics in Question, Lee and Julia discuss recent research on the causes of political scandal and its effects on politics. They also discuss their upcoming podcast, Scandalized, where each episode will unpack a historical political scandal. Listen to the full episode below, and find all episodes here.