By Pavel Kollar
So far I understood this American dispute today(equally to whom is intended the performance and why) it does not goes about truth-lie in politics (which could have some effect for broad public) but much more about trust-distrust, about common arrogance of one side with calculated aims. Truths an lies are equally in service of both sides in the dispute. For outside observer it is hard understandable, because the cause of the dispute is hidden.
De Gaulle's lies(if it were lies) were accepted because the other side trusted him and shared his lies(or truths). Every competition understands some basic loyalty agreement. It seems that this agreement was broken in America in some past time, so the present events are only waves of that big crash.
The ways of communication between competitors and foes differ from society to society because the basic customs differ. Even the same words can associate different meanings. Cultures differ among others on questions what is truth and what lie. But what is culture? I would say just a standpoint in the judgment of some reality. As example I would quote the dispute when the participants try to give accurate answer on question whether, in one society where everybody steals from everybody(or is chivalrous to everybody), the people are rich or poor.
American public showed that it have not had great interest for the private life of its elected representatives. Their interest was about the good job of these people. Those who had this interest where the political rivals and they tried to persuade the public to be more sensitive also about the private life, because this was their interest and trump. I think the attitudes of public to this theme are similar also in other societies. Those who has really interest on this issue are the foes, who can take away a piece of market from the competitor, and I think that in this question(of severeness of political competition) the differences are much greater among societies.
So the problem calls the rules of political competition. Democracy in America broke not on the line of political elite to broad public but much more on the line between competitors. What is hard to estimate is, which practice is better and for whom.