On Lying And Politics

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Hannah Arendt noted that truthfulness is seldom regarded as a political virtue. This raises critical questions: Why do politicians lie? What is the connection between political lies and self-deception? How much deceit can a democracy tolerate before it collapses? Arendt addressed these issues in two pivotal essays, now presented together for the first time. Her insights, delivered in compelling prose, resonate powerfully today. In "Truth and Politics," she examines the link between lying and politics, emphasizing that the survival of factual truth relies on credible witnesses and an informed public. She warns that organized deceit can dismantle our shared reality, replacing it with a distorted world of manipulated evidence. In "Lying in Politics," prompted by the Pentagon Papers, Arendt critiques American policy in Southeast Asia, asserting that the true aim of the Vietnam War—and the lies used to justify it—was to enhance America's image. David Bromwich's introduction contextualizes Arendt's essays within her broader work, highlighting their urgent message about the persistent threat that lying poses to democracy.