GS IV (Ethics) (Duplex)

Is ethics important, especially in the public administration setting of a democracy? Is exercising power for the benefit of the supporters of the persons in power appropriate ethically for a public administrator in a democracy?

Best answer

Anil Jhajharia wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 5/10. The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

Ethics refers to the guide of write or wrong in a situation. It is imperative to all parts of democracy including public administration. The reasons for its importance in public administration are:
->Public administration is interface to people in democracy. Ethical administration will generate social capital and trust.
-> Ethics in Public administration will ensure transparency, accountability and efficiency.
-> Many problems like corruption, maladministration, loss in exchequer can be reduced by ethical behavior.
->It’ll enhance the credibility of government and two-way relationship, which are foundation of democracy.
->Overall, ethics in public administration will help the lower section of society, thus in tandem with concept of welfare state.
Exercising power for supporters is unethical in administration, as it results in nepotism and favoritism. e.g commonwealth contracts scam.
It is loss of both public and government. This is also a condition of “conflict of interest”, which can have grave consequences including corruption. An ethical public administrator never uses power for his supporters, and follows the values of objectivity, honesty and non-partisanship, which are inherent to ethical behavior in public administration.