The virtue of vice: a defence of hypocrisy in democratic politics

Journal article


Tillyris, D. 2015. The virtue of vice: a defence of hypocrisy in democratic politics. Contemporary Politics. 22 (1), pp. 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/13569775.2015.1112958
AuthorsTillyris, D.
Abstract

This essay suggests that Machiavelli's claim that the moral vice of hypocrisy is inescapable in politics constitutes a real issue for democratic politics today. Indeed, it concludes that democratic societies are implicated in creating the impetus to hypocritical behaviour. The essay questions the prevalent conviction that a liberal democratic polity should be premised on transparency and candour, not on hypocritical manipulation – a conviction which is paradoxically shared by the dirty hands thesis which is mostly owed to Michael Walzer and which purportedly takes Machiavelli's insights on the moral messiness of politics seriously. Attempts to deny the necessity of political hypocrisy misconstrue the realities of democratic politics – the messy context in which politicians operate and what is distinctive of political friendships. Democratic politicians operate in a context ridden with conflict and dependence which renders hypocrisy a necessary political virtue and one of the strings that hold together a virtuous political life.

KeywordsMachiavelli, hypocrisy, political virtue, moral conflict, democratic politics, dirty hands
Year2015
JournalContemporary Politics
Journal citation22 (1), pp. 1-19
PublisherTaylor & Francis
ISSN1356-9775
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/13569775.2015.1112958
FunderEconomic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
University of Leeds - School of Politics and International Studies (POLIS)
Publication dates
Online26 Nov 2015
Publication process dates
Deposited05 Oct 2016
Output statusPublished
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