Ethical Politics, Free Essay for You to Check

Politics refers to the activities that are associated with the governance of a given area or country especially when dealing with the ownership of power by different parties. Ethics refers to the accepted code of conduct which is a matter of time and society. Every society tends to have its ethics and morals. Ethics help to govern the behavior of an individual in a society or organization while they are carrying out a given activity. Ethics dictate the social and political life of an individual. In politics, there are no morals, but rather there is only expedience. Politics and ethics cannot go together as they are two different identities (Russell, 2016).

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Politics and ethics can never coexist since ethics gets lip sympathy from the practitioners of real politics but on rare occasions do the ethics influence the behavior of the politicians and rulers as they are never ready to allow considerations of justice and fair play due to their greediness for power. Rulers have used politics to treat the citizens as a means of remaining in power without considering the interest of the public. Most politicians across the world tend to win the elections through unethical means. When the voters are against their arguments and ideas, they use bribes to influence the voters to vote for them (In Pullen & In Rhodes, 2015).

In the current world that we are living in politics have turned out to be synonymous with unlimited greed and hunger for power. Politicians are currently acting unethically and promoting racism in the country that they rule. There is lack of equality in politics. Both bureaucrats and politicians tend to serve their self -interest once they win the political campaigns and leave the people who voted for them suffering. As a result of acting unethically, the citizens can punish such politicians is ensuring that they do not re-elect them in the elections that follow after their political term is over. For example, Mahtma Gandhi was never ready to sacrifice his non-violence principles to drive out the foreign rulers from India despite advocating for the use of good means to achieve ends that are desirable (Armbruster & Laerke, 2010).

The ethical dilemmas involved in this case are about trust and loyalty. The Soviet Union initiative aims at raising the degree of trust between states. This is of great importance in the current world that we are living in since trust has been ruined by those individuals who are trying to obtain the balance of forces so as to achieve leadership gain and military superiority over the Soviet Union and its enemies and as well as destroy all the positive plans which the policy aims at achieving. In this case, the president of the United States is ready to sign the treaty to destroy the nuclear weapons. The issue of trust arises since the military and the President's opposition have the believe that the Soviets are not to be trusted.

Casey shows loyalty to the superior office since after he realizes about the coup that was being stage planned by his own superior officer, Scott and some other individuals of JCS and other allies in the U.S congress he informs the president and his inner circle. Casey considered the act as being unconstitutional and therefore unethical. Casey is faced with an ethical dilemma since he is also opposed to the president's opposition and therefore do not know if to inform him about what was currently being planned or take sides with his superior officer. Failing to inform the president or his inner circle about the issue would result in the removal of the president and his cabinet from office within seven days. This, in turn, could result in the nuclear weapons not being destroyed and hence causing more harm to the citizens since the nuclear weapon could lead to mass killings. In this case, Casey also faces an ethical dilemma when the president sends him to New York City to go and visit the former mistress of the general to get some secrets that can be used against Scott. Casey is faced with the ethical dilemma of not knowing whether to be loyal to the president or not which could easily make him lose the job. The situation is also an ethical dilemma for Casey considering that the Air Force General is his superior officer (McLean & Yoder, 2005).

In conclusion ethics and politics cannot coexist with each other since in politics some decisions tend to be tough, unpopular but have to be taken for the future or the larger good of the society. Political problems at times require political solutions and hence compromising the behaviors of an individual to be unethical. Politics makes the leaders have greed for power and that greatly hinders them from behaving in a manner benefits other people in the society. Some of the unethical behaviors that are associated with politics include self-interest, greed for power, disloyalty, and dishonesty.

References

Armbruster, H., & Laerke, A. (2010). Taking sides: Ethics, politics and fieldwork in anthropology. New York: Berghahn Books.

Hansel, J. (2009). Levinas in Jerusalem: Phenomenology, ethics, politics, aesthetics. Dordrecht?: Springer.

In Pullen, A., & In Rhodes, C. (2015). The Routledge companion to ethics, politics and organizations. London [u.a.: Routledge.

McLean, D. J., & Yoder, D. G. (2005). Issues in recreation and leisure: Ethical decision making. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Russell, B. (2016). Human society in ethics and politics. Place of publication not identified: Routledge.