Thompson, Dennis2020-05-122018-10-26Thompson, Dennis F. 2018. The Political Ethics of Political Campaigns. In Rutledge Handbook on Ethics and Public Policy, eds. by Annabelle Lever and Andrei Poama. London: Routledge.9781315461731http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:42665440Campaigns are an odd way to choose leaders. Corporations, universities, hospitals, and other organizations rely instead on search committees, trustee boards, and outside consultants, and the like. Some of the most important public offices, such as judgeships, agency directorships, and cabinet positions, are made by appointment. It would be hard to argue that campaigns are necessary or desirable if the chief aim were to select the most qualified or the most deserving office holders according to any usual standard of merit.en-USJournal Article2018-04-2820182020-05-1210.4324/9781315461731-19