Hypocrisy as a Tool for Social Cohesion. Mandeville’s Thought in Contemporary Thought

Abstract

Despite its notoriety, some researchers point out that hypocrisy has positive sides. It serves to unite members of society with opposing views, highlights the topicality of and the need for values, and is even considered a kind of virtue in a specific political ethics. Bernard Mandeville, who followed in the footsteps of François de La Rochefoucauld, also pointed to the contribution of hypocrisy to the survival of society. In Mandeville’s thought, hypocrisy, along with other vices, is not unambiguously assessed. Hypocrisy is destructive if it harms society, but, used properly, it proves to be an excellent tool for creating a harmonious community. In my article, I will present Bernard Mandeville’s views on hypocrisy in relation to the views of contemporary researchers on the subject. I will show that Mandeville’s views on hypocrisy are encapsulated by the well-known apparent paradox in the subtitle of The Fable of the Bees  – “private vices, public benefits” – and I will present their significance for contemporary research in moral psychology.