The Watergate Scandal

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the Watergate scandal represented a crisis situation in which the public, the elites and the media, driven by solidarity, collaborated to eliminate an evil so that the social body could continue its normal existence. The author points out that the Watergate scandal proves that society is a moral phenomenon organically driven by the desire to defend the principles of morality because of its awareness of the fundamental importance played by these principles. The paper suggests that political scandal serves as an interruption of the profane everyday living and inserts a sacred dimension. This dimension renews the forces of the society by identifying and eliminating an evil while simultaneously remembering and reinforcing society's basic principles.

From the Paper:

"The American society gives a lot of importance to the moral legitimating of the political regime. It is not only the Watergate scandal that proves it, but also other scandals involving presidents, such as the one involving Bill Clinton. In the case of President Clinton, the most serious mistake that he made was not that he had an affair (even if this too represents an action against the moral principles and reflects an unhealthy attitude towards family). The most serious mistake that both Nixon and Clinton did was to lie to the American people, denying their guilt."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Alexander, J., "Watergate and the Durkhemian Sociology"
• Bellah, R., "Civil Religion in America" in "The Broken covenant: Civil Religion in time of trial", Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1967
• Durkheim, Emile, "The concept of the state", in Anthony Giddens, ed. Durkheim on Politics and the State, Cambridge: Polity Press, 1986
• D. D'Souza, "What's So Great About America", New York: Penguin Books, 2003

More papers on The Watergate Scandal:

• Essay # 65220 : "The Watergate Scandal"
• Term Paper # 121834 : "The Watergate Scandal"
• Term Paper # 95939 : "The Watergate Scandal"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: