According to linguist George Lakoff, in politics, whoever defines the language and, consequently, the cognitive framework—represented by values and beliefs—dominates. This is because our thinking is not rational, but conceptual: we interpret reality through metaphors. We understand a complex concept (such as corruption) in terms of a more basic concept, like a disease (such as cancer).
Metaphors activate cognitive frameworks comprised of long-standing knowledge that provide us with mental representations for interpreting events. For example, a country plagued by corruption is like a sick body. Health is well-being; illness, discomfort. In this context, data, when reduced to statistics, does not alter our perception of events if it contradicts these concepts; therefore, what we deem true or false depends on whether it fits within these frameworks.
One of the dominant cognitive frameworks is that of the strict father, the framework of global capitalism, in which there is a hierarchical chain: God is above man, man is above nature, white men are above other races, the rich are above the poor, and men are above women. If this order is broken, it is considered immoral because the family would be in danger. From this perspective, the origin of wealth cannot be questioned, since it fulfills the moral role of being stronger in an adverse and hostile world, where only the strongest survive.
For far-right governments, corruption ends up being accepted. That's why they are "exempt" from paying taxes, and that's why it's presented rhetorically as a relief. In the Fourth Republic, they used to say something about a political party like, "They steal, but they let others benefit from it" (meaning stealing). In contrast, social benefits, granted within the context of inclusive policies, are considered undeserved; they say, "They want everything for free," because they don't understand social justice and consider it corruption, even though there is statistical data demonstrating social investment, for example, in housing, health, and education.
For the right wing, capital should be in the hands of a privileged few, the needs of the people are ignored and their struggles harassed.
