Judging Politicians Morally

Abstract

The author examines a prevalent practice to find politicians or candidates running for office morally deficient and to demand either their removal from office or disqalification from the political race. The author’s main thesis is that such practice is, in many cases, irrational because it prevents qualified candidates from holding political offices. In order to defend this claim, these moral failures are first classified and then three main arguments are offered in order to show that in at least three types of cases politicians should not pay for their immorality with the political function they occupy or they aspire to occupy. Finally, some possible objections to the presented position are considered and answered.