Ευκαιρίες ανάδειξης μελημάτων αληθείας και πολιτική υπευθυνότητα στην κοινοβουλευτική δημοκρατία

Abstract

In opposition to moralistic approaches, widespread among political philosophers, this paper proposes a discussion of the question of the possibility of moderating lying and promoting the quest for truth in politics from the perspective of studying political and institutional circumstances. While lying and deception are regarded as an inherent aspect of political action, especially in the era of mass politics, the institutional fabric of the parliamentary version of representative democracy creates under certain circumstances opportunities for truth-seeking as an expression of the adoption of responsible political attitudes. Sources of political lies, such as the political construction of the future, nationalism, social tensions, and conspiracy theories, correspond to discourses in central fields of deliberation in parliamentary procedures. With reference to Max Weber and Giovanni Sartori, it will be argued that the institutional setting of parliamentarism and the organisation of parliamentary procedures create opportunities for deliberations aiming at minimising political risks arising from the disparity between ideological ringfencing and practical necessities in politics. However, as will be argued, this is not independent from the characteristics of political power games as mapped onto the structure of party systems.