Although words like ‘unprincipled’, ‘amoral’ and ‘serial liar’ seem to describe the outgoing British prime minister accurately, they also describe more successful political leaders. To explain Boris Johnson’s fall, we need to consider two factors ...
”. But, in practice, he made his personality the content of his politics.
Johnson’s personality-as-politics was also the creation of the media. In the past, newspapers, by and large, reported the news; now, focusing on personalities, they create it. This change has given rise to a corrupt relationship: personalities use the media to promote themselves, and the media expose their frailties to sell copy.
This development has radically transformed public perceptions about the qualities a political leader should have. Previous generations of political leaders were by no means all prudes. They lied, drank, fornicated and took bribes. But everyone concerned with politics recognised that it was important to protect the public sphere.
Most of the offences that led to Johnson’s resignation would never have been reported in the past. But today the doctrine of personal accountability justifies stripping political leaders naked. Every peccadillo, every lapse from correct expression, becomes a credibility-destroying “disgrace” or “shame”.
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