Political scandal can erode public trust in government institutions, leading to lower voter turnout and more cynicism about elections and governmental processes. It also undermines the effectiveness of politics and policy-making, as corrupt officials may misdirect public funds to private gain, warping policy and eroding the quality of government services like education, health care, and infrastructure.
In the United States, scandals can involve anything from campaign finance corruption and bribery to sexual harassment, sexism, and insider trading. However, the way that scandals affect voters depends on a variety of factors—including the triggering event, how intensively media cover it, and how seriously the misconduct is perceived by the public. In addition, the extent to which people are exposed to scandals can vary across countries and time periods, with some events getting extensive coverage while others go largely unreported (Kepplinger, Eps, Esser, & Gattwinkel, 2018).
What shapes the decision to make violations of values and norms into scandals? What makes parties decide to expose a member of the opposition and what drives them to hide misbehavior among their own ranks? These questions are at the core of a new study by University of Chicago researchers Wioletta Dziuda and William G. Howell.
Using a simulated model, they find that the more polarized a country is, the greater the incentives for parties to protect their own members from exposure and to throw baseless accusations at the other side. As a result, the political scandals that are produced lack any clear link to the underlying unethical behavior, making it hard for voters to discern which politicians deserve their vote.