Ethics Theory, GS 4, TLP-UPSC Mains Answer Writing
3. Is it ethical for a political party to leverage political gains at the time of an external crisis? Critically comment.
क्या किसी राजनीतिक दल के लिए बाहरी संकट के समय राजनीतिक लाभ उठाना नैतिक है? समालोचनात्मक टिप्पणी करें।
Demand of the question:
It expects students to write about ethics in politics. Students should also relate ethics in politics with political ethics during external crisis and reveal both positive and negative aspects.
Introduction:
Political ethics is the practice of making moral judgments about political goals and political action. During external crisis the political goals and action of a political party are expected to be aligned with the national interest.
Body:
Political ethics is divided into two branches:
- One branch, the ethics of process (or the ethics of office), focuses on public officials and the methods they use.
- The other branch, the ethics of policy (or ethics and public policy) concentrates on judgments about policies and laws.
In judging whether a political parties leverage for political gains is justified in external crisis, we should consider:
- the importance of the goal of the leverage;
- the availability of alternative means for achieving the goal;
- the identity of the victims of the leverage (other officials, other governments, all citizens);
- the accountability of the political party (the possibility of approving the leverage in advance or discovering it later);
Thus, it can be ethical for a political party to leverage political gains at the time of an external crisis:
- Consequentialists object that if the action is justified, then the political party is not guilty of anything.
- It is their democratic right to counter the views and measures of ruling political party, which applies even for external crisis.
- It also makes ruling party accountable to opposition political parties and to its citizens
- It helps to build a consensus for a unified response to external threat.
- It represents a view of certain section of society, which needs to be considered for maintenance and development of inclusive democracy.
However, it may not be ethical for a political party to leverage political gains at the time of an external crisis:
- Ethics requires political parties to avoid harming the innocent, external crisis have potential to harm socio-economic lives of citizens.
- Deontologists object that if the action is truly wrong, the political party should simply not do it.
- It should not push ruling party and nation towards an undue aggression like war, sanctions, etc.
- It should not be done to create negative influence on society.
- It should not misuse sentiments-emotions of the citizens.
Conclusion:
To what extent does the end justify the means in politics? is a long pending question, hence, political parties are expected to take a balanced stand that protects universal rights of innocent citizens of both the parties involved in the external crisis that values life over death, love over hate and peace over threat.
