ABSTRACT
The connection between politics and ethics has been an issue discussed and debated in Western thought and practice since the days of the Athenian polls. 1 Yet as the contributors to this volume make clear, the notion of ‘political ethics’ is one which is considered by many (both among the public and some politicians) a theoretical entity only. The growing number of exposed political scandals, the powerful role of the media in shaping public opinion and the public’s increasing demand for accountability by its public servants require a re-examination of that nebulous but crucial construct known as ethics in politics.
