Four ways to elect honest representatives:
1.Trust your eyes and compare notes with others.
2. Wise up to weasel words, aka rationalization.
3. Show up–review and report.
4. Who do you serve?
Research indicates that gender quotas, now in half the world’s countries, do increase the number of women elected to government posts.
Citizens must pay attention lest they continue to put people in positions of power who are self-serving rather than public servants.
I have loved reading Psychology Today ever since my first psychology class as a high school junior. So I consider it a huge honor to have been invited to blog on their site. They have asked me to cover “Where Women Govern” as it relates to corruption and happiness. Here’s blog number two!
From 2001 to 2018, 7 percent of defendants in financial scandals in the U.S. were women. Swedish scholars found that women mayors reduce corruption risks and corruption levels during the first term in office. Researchers concluded women mayors who do not adapt to corrupt networks are not re-elected.
We didn’t pay attention to the character of those we elected. We thought it was OK if their characters slipped a little here and a little there. If there ever has been a reason to vote for men and women of impeccable ethics, this is it. Our children. If there ever has been a reason to pay attention to the actions of our elected representatives, this is it: those who come after us.