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“What is Truth?” asks Pontius Pilate Jesus in court. The accused has just known that he had come into world to testify truth. But Pilate wants to enforce Roman law – with truth he has a problem. Because no place in world is as much lied as in court. When people argue about ir right, y can see why y tend to lie at all: it is essential to enforce ir own viewpoint, ir own interests. If it serves one’s own good, people want to assert ir own against truth. For this y are prepared to violate all laws of state and morality.
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The truth that Jesus means is also one that does not have its preferred place in world. Therefore, he refers to his mission to testify in his person – knowing that it is much easier to lie, to deny truth, and to have a false testimony. Those who tell truth often have to accept disadvantages and renounce m. The more painful renunciation, higher willingness to approach matter with a cautiously said, flexible morality. This temptation is naturally particularly great where decisive questions are negotiated: in politics.
Politicians define rules of codecision, distribute resources, decide on future opportunities for people and on whom such opportunities are denied. Ultimately, y can even decide about life and death: In war, in criminal law, even in health care and social law. It is about no less than how one can live and wher one may live. Is it so surprising that politics is always being lied about again and again? Is it not understandable that one’s own interests are veiled, citizens are lulled into deceptive security and false promises are made? The political lie is as old as politics itself, and it will not leave us as long as people rule over people.
New fake news every day, almost unlimited possibilities of internet and loss of confidence in established media make political lies more powerful than ever today. Their power has always been felt. Already in ancient Greece Anians were talking about Ionian cities of Asia Minor, y were all founded by Ans. This should provide legitimacy to unashamedly dominate cities in Attic-Perga Federation and to bring federal treasury under its own control.
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In Middle Ages it was often lied in form of forged documents, with some significant power-political consequences. Thus, a forgery commissioned by Habsburg Duke Rudolf IV created basis for rise of his dynasty in 14th century: by means of privilege Maius, Habsburgs invoked rights allegedly for centuries, which y tatsäc Gradually paved way for archduchy and dominant position in Austria.
Barbara Ten Pennies
Is professor of political ory and history of Ideas at University of Passau.
Even inventing false reports to defame political opponents has a long tradition. In 17th century, in England, rumor of a Jesuit conspiracy against King (Popish Plot) triggered a mass hysteria and a political crisis, in aftermath of which 35 alleged conspirators were executed and anti-Catholic laws were tightened. The author of invented rumor was a former Anglican clergyman who apparently wanted to fuel mood against Catholics.
In twentieth century, totalitarian systems of Communism and National Socialism showed that re can be regimes that are entirely based on lies. The most basic lie was promise of a state of salvation already being realized on Earth. Because regimes could never redeem se promises of salvation, ir hypocrisy was boundless. Sometimes lie showed absurd traits, for example when in Romania Ceauşescu government went so far as to even falsify wear report. People should think that y were just imagining that y were freezing so horribly. In any case, lack of fuel was not.
