Self-deception, that is the distortion of reality against the available evidence and according to one's wishes, represents a distinctive component in the wide realm of political deception. It has received relatively little attention but is well worth examining for its explanatory and normative dimensions. In this book Anna Elisabetta Galeotti shows how self-deception can explain political occurrences where public deception intertwines with political failure - from bad decisions based on false beliefs, through the self-serving nature of those beliefs, to the deception of the public as a by-product of a leader's self-deception. Her discussion uses close analysis of three well-known case studies: John F. Kennedy and the Cuba Crisis, Lyndon B. Johnson and the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, and George W. Bush and the weapons of mass destruction. Her book will appeal to a range of readers in political philosophy, political theory, and international relations.

Explores self-deception and its consequences for political decision-making.

About the Author
Anna Elisabetta Galeotti teaches political philosophy at the University of Eastern Piedmont, Vercelli. Her publications include Toleration as Recognition (Cambridge, 2002).


Book Information
ISBN 9781108438308
Author Anna Elisabetta Galeotti
Format Paperback
Page Count 271
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 400g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 151mm * 14mm