Day: October 4, 2025

A political scandal occurs when a government official engages in unethical behavior that is seen by citizens as a breach of public trust. Scandals often elicit calls for investigations and resignations, and can have profound effects on the political climate and public perception of government institutions and officials. Scandals are typically highlighted in the media and are widely influenced by political, social, and cultural factors. Although scholars from diverse disciplines, primarily communication research and political science, have studied the effects of political scandals, a comprehensive overview of the literature is lacking.

Using meta-analysis, this article provides the first systematic review of the effects of political scandals. A total of 78 studies with more than 54,000 participants are included in the analysis. The vast majority of the studies investigate the effect of single politician scandals, while one study examines multipolitician scandals. More than two-thirds of the studies use student samples, and most of the research is published in political science and psychology journals, with only three studies appearing in communication journals.

The coding results show that scandals usually have negative evaluative effects on politicians, but the scope of these effects depends on moderator variables such as citizens’ previous views and attitudes, their general level of political trust and cynicism, their affiliation with the implicated party, and the type of scandal. Additionally, political scandals are likely to trigger behavioural responses from politicians who are not directly involved in the scandal, such as breaking or limiting their links with the implicated party and switching parties.

The term political unrest encompasses a range of activities including protests, strikes and civil disturbance. While there is no widely accepted definition for the term, it is generally understood to include actions aimed at challenging and challenging the status quo. These may occur over short or long timeframes. The activities involved may be peaceful or violent but always aim to bring attention and awareness to underlying issues.

Economic Inequality

The root cause of most unrest is the growing inequality in our world – between rich and poor, and between those with a lot of money and those who have little or nothing at all. This can trigger political unrest, as people grow disillusioned and lose faith in their government. It can also result in high levels of unemployment and poverty if governments are unable to implement effective economic policies.

Corruption is another major contributor to political unrest. When people are robbed of their basic rights, they lose trust in the government and become more likely to protest. In some cases, this can lead to authoritarianism if the government is seen as corrupt and repressing dissent.

Climate Change

The effects of climate change are causing food shortages, increasing competition for limited resources, and leading to human displacement. This can fuel conflict and political unrest as people fight for the survival of their families and communities.

Identity Politics