WHEN DISHONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY. REALLY?
WHEN DISHONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY. REALLY?

Author(s): Mitchell Ilbury
Subject(s): Politics, History, Media studies, Communication studies, Recent History (1900 till today), 19th Century
Published by: NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence
Keywords: communication; media; fake news; truth; post-truth; politics; policy; dishonesty;
Summary/Abstract: ‘How can you tell when a politician is lying?’ the joke goes, ‘because his lips are moving.’ We may roll our eyes when we hear it, partly because it is not that funny, but also because we are well aware of the fact that leaders lie. Sometimes, however, leaders should lie, as it can be an important tool of statecraft. Honesty can compromise military planning, and in the international system, diplomatic relations between states may require a well-placed lie to gain strategic advantage, or prevent another actor from doing so. In such circumstances, not only is it justifiable, but leaders may even have an obligation to lie. While the potential for abuse means lying should remain a controversial and scrutinised aspect of leadership, it is important to acknowledge that it sometimes functions as a necessary feature of government.

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