Answer:
The political and economic division between the US and the USSR during the Cold War played a significant role in the Watergate scandal.
At the time, the US was deeply engaged in a global struggle with the Soviet Union for political and economic dominance. The Nixon administration, which was in power during the Watergate scandal, saw itself as fighting a battle against communism and believed that it needed to use any means necessary to gain an advantage over the Soviet Union.
One of the ways that the Nixon administration sought to gain an advantage was through the use of covert operations, such as the Watergate break-in, which was an attempt to gather information about the Democratic Party's election strategy. However, this operation was ultimately unsuccessful and led to the exposure of the Nixon administration's illegal activities.
Furthermore, the Watergate scandal highlighted the growing mistrust between the US and the USSR, as both countries engaged in espionage and other covert activities against each other. This atmosphere of suspicion and paranoia made it easier for the Nixon administration to justify its illegal actions as necessary for national security.
In summary, the political and economic division between the US and USSR during the Cold War contributed to the Watergate scandal by creating an environment of mistrust, paranoia, and competition that made it easier for the Nixon administration to justify its illegal actions in the name of national security.