Session 14-Ethics in Public Administration: Comprehensive Lecture Notes (Key Concepts, Case Studies, Private vs Public Ethics, Dilemmas)

Ethics in Public Administration: Comprehensive Notes (Lecture Notes)

• Initial contextual discussion: left vs right ideologies and their relationship to ethics

  • Left emphasizes the collective and the idea that what is best for the nation comes from prioritizing the group over the individual; right emphasizes group or national identity, with potential for privileging group rights over individual rights in some scenarios.
  • Orientalism and utilitarianism were mentioned as frameworks that might loosely map onto these left-right classifications, but not rigidly; cautions against forcing them into a single spectrum due to variation across nations and groups.
  • The instructor encourages situational judgment: choose what suits the specific context rather than strictly adhering to a binary left/right taxonomy.

• Context: challenges to ethics in public administration (previous topics summary)

  • Corruption, inefficiency, political influence, institutional weakness, public apathy (low voter turnout), social inequality.
  • World inequality reference: 23\% of wealth held by the top 1\% of people; thus, social equality means equal ground to stand on, not identical outcomes.

• Promoting ethics in public administration: core pillars

  • Establishing clear ethical guidelines (code of conduct)
  • Think of guidelines as traffic signals for public servants: clarifying what is acceptable and what is off-limits.
  • Display bold, simple rules to prevent ambiguity (e.g., 'thou shall not take bribes').
  • Examples of gifts: guidelines on permissible gifts; in India, personal gifts thresholds around ₹34{,}000; in some contexts around US\$\$25.
  • Ethics training
  • Reintroduces ethical reasoning in real-life applications; reduces VIP behavior; builds a culture of decency.
  • Studies show misconduct can be reduced by up to 30\% with regular ethics training.
  • Encouraging ethical leadership
  • Leaders who model ethics inspire the organization to follow; walk the talk; avoid VIP privileges; promote transparency.
  • Establishing an internal ethics committee
  • Functions like an internal watchdog (the 'class monitor of ethics') with ongoing oversight.
  • Roles: policy development; monitor compliance; investigate breaches; capacity building and awareness; conflict resolution; provide reporting channels (e.g., anonymous hotlines).
  • Composition: senior officials from various departments; ethics officer; potential external members; chair and department representation.
  • Distinction from external bodies (CVC, Lokpal): internal ethics committees promote ethics within the organization and handle day-to-day concerns before external escalation.
  • Ethics hotlines and reporting channels
  • Anonymous reporting channels to encourage reporting misconduct without office gossip.
  • International and national exemplars of ethics governance
  • United States Office of Government Ethics (OGE): guidance and training for executive branch agencies; culture of anonymous whistleblowing.
  • Canada: Office of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner; independent body reporting to Parliament; enforces conflict of interest rules for government officials.
  • Australia: Australian Public Service Commission; Ethics Advisory Service with confidential guidance and hotlines.
  • South Korea: Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) handling ethics and anti-corruption for public servants.
  • United Kingdom: Committee on Standards in Public Life (standards in public life with independent members).
  • Indian context
  • No formal internal ethics committee is universally adopted today; external bodies like CVC/Lokpal exist but focus on corruption rather than proactive ethics culture.
  • Internal ethics committee would be proactive: promote ethics, oversee adherence, training, and awareness; broader scope beyond mere compliance (fairness, transparency, conflict of interest, workplace behavior).
  • Potential scope and activities of an internal ethics committee
  • Policy development; compliance monitoring; investigation of breaches; capacity building and training; conflict resolution; reporting channels (hotlines).
  • Emphasize transparency and accountability; ensure promotions and decisions are merit-based.
  • Comparative examples of ethics governance across countries
  • Internal vs external: internal focuses on everyday ethics and culture; external bodies handle regulation, enforcement, and public accountability.

• Case study: Rampura district (tribal population, BT cotton discussion, and ethics of governance)

  • Stakeholders to consider:
  • Tribal families, minor girls, district administration (DC), labor contractors, local NGOs, welfare program authorities, educational institutions, community leaders, health care providers.
  • Ethical dilemma in Rampura:
  • Child exploitation (minor girls in hazardous BT cotton farms) and potential kollaboration/corruption among NGOs; ineffective welfare programs; health risks; socioeconomic pressures.
  • Rights implicated include: child labor (Article 24), right to education (Article 21-A where applicable), and broader fundamental rights (Article 14 on equal protection and reasonable classification).
  • Specific steps to ameliorate conditions and promote economic growth
  • Immediate interventions:
    • Enforce child labor laws; rescue and rehabilitation; health and safety measures; awareness campaigns; provide immediate welfare funding.
    • Ensure NREGA funds usage is properly audited and fully utilized; regular auditing of welfare programs.
  • Long-term interventions:
    • Promote livelihood development and skill-building (schemes such as Kaushal Vikas, vocational training programs); agro-based small-scale industries; cooperatives and self-help groups (SAGs) empowerment for women and tribals.
    • Strengthen tribal economies under PES (Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996) to ensure proper Panchayati governance in scheduled/tribal areas.
    • Collaborate with NGOs for ongoing monitoring and regular audits; capacity-building for local governance and community engagement.
  • Related legal and governance notes
  • PESA 1996 strengthens Panchayati Raj in scheduled areas; focus on local self-government, resource management, and tribal welfare.
  • Ensure that schemes and funds are allocated and audited properly (e.g., NREGA funds).
  • Note on ethics in implementation: avoid coercion; ensure transparency; promote accountability and community participation.

• Ethics in private vs public relations: private vs public relationships

  • Private relationships
  • Domains: family, close friends, intimate networks; governance by internal values (intimacy, loyalty, emotional openness); driven by love, trust, mutual care, and shared history.
  • Examples: family dinners, trust-based interactions, Ramayana as ethical handbook through principles like loyalty and respect; individual growth through practicing honesty in private life.
  • Public relationships
  • Formal interactions with institutions (schools, offices, government bodies); governed by rules, procedures, and professional values (professionalism, accountability, impartiality).
  • Public trust is built on integrity and accountability; leadership style matters (ethical leadership, walking the talk).
  • Interplay and confluence
  • Private ethics influence public ethics; personal integrity builds public trust; ethical behavior at home tends to spill over into professional life; integrity is the basis for trust in public service.
  • Private ethics can enhance or clash with public ethics; social context and group norms can influence behavior in both spheres.
  • Conformity, bias, and adaptability
  • Social conformity and peer pressure can suppress whistleblowing or reporting of unethical behavior (groupthink, fear of social sanction).
  • Balancing tradition with progress requires flexibility: e.g., adaptation to LGBTQ rights, gender equality, and evolving social norms.
  • Key aphorisms and lessons
  • John Wooden: The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.
  • Integrity in private life supports consistency in public life; integrity in public life reinforces private trust.

• Balancing ethics in private and public life: why it matters

  • A balanced approach maintains integrity across domains; leaders who demonstrate ethical balance gain trust, respect, and willingness to follow.
  • Outcomes of balance: ethical individuals inspire trust, reduce stress, and foster cooperative environments; they are more consistent and reliable across contexts.
  • Practical metaphor: private ethics as core values (the heart) and public ethics as outward actions (the world); balancing them is like making a perfect cup of tea or paratha with the right mix of ingredients.
  • Handling conflicts between private values and public duties
  • When personal bias conflicts with public rule, apply tools of public reason and public-interest orientation; avoid nepotism and favoritism; ensure fairness and merit.
  • The risk of social conformity: remain vigilant against group pressure that undermines ethical standards.
  • Adaptation and growth
  • Flexibility does not mean abandoning core values; it means evolving with social change while upholding fundamental human values like honesty, respect, and fairness.

• Private and public ethics in practice: examples and implications

  • Whistleblowing and accountability
  • Whistleblowers as canaries in the coal mine; whistleblowing can carry personal risk but preserves public interest.
  • Transparency vs national security tensions
  • Civil liberties versus security: surveillance vs privacy; historical examples include Patriot Act in the US, 1984 by George Orwell; balancing disclosure with safety.
  • Data privacy and service enhancement
  • Data privacy vs personalized service: data is a new wealth; companies collect data to tailor services (Cambridge Analytica example); regulatory guidelines (Article 39(b)(c) of the Constitution in context of wealth and data) and global norms.
  • Health care vs education allocation
  • Limited budgets force trade-offs; health improvements provide immediate relief but education provides long-term societal gain; need to balance short-term needs with long-term human capital.
  • Environmental protection vs economic growth
  • Dilemma between growth (jobs, revenue) and environmental sustainability; examples include the Amazon deforestation debate and Deepwater Horizon pollution; balance long-term planetary health with short-term profits.
  • Private sector dilemmas: automation, labor vs technology, profits vs people
  • Automation displacing jobs (McKinsey: up to 3.75\times 10^8 jobs displaced by 2030); need retraining but pace of change is rapid.
  • Courses of action: preserve human-centered employment, invest in retraining, manage transitions ethically.
  • Corporate responsibility and stakeholder balancing
  • Investors vs customers vs employees; Starbucks case (2018): leadership training on bias to rebuild trust; demonstrates balancing values with profits.
  • Ethics in data sharing and service provision
  • Customer privacy vs enhanced service; the balance between personalization and privacy,
    with caution against surveillance capitalism and the need for informed consent.
  • Examples of ethical decision-making tools
  • Tools of public reason; consider the needs of diverse groups; avoid discrimination and uphold dignity.

• Summary: core takeaways for ethical governance and professional practice

  • Ethics is not a silo; private virtues underpin public trust and performance.
  • Proactive ethics governance (internal committees, guidelines, training) reduces misconduct and builds an integrity-based culture.
  • Ethical dilemmas are common across public and private settings; there is rarely a single perfect solution. The goal is to minimize losses and maximize benefits for the larger public,
    while upholding core human values.
  • Continuous reflection, education, and adaptive leadership are essential to sustain ethical behavior in a changing world.

• Quick reference: key formulas and figures mentioned

  • Wealth concentration reference: 23\% of wealth held by the top 1\% of people.
  • Audit coverage example: total audit points 2.5\times 10^5; annual audited points 6.0\times 10^4; coverage ≈ \frac{6.0\times 10^4}{2.5\times 10^5}=0.24\approx 25\%.
  • Misconduct reduction with ethics training: up to 30\% reduction.
  • Global job displacement due to automation: 3.75\times 10^8 jobs by 2030.
  • Gift threshold example: ₹34{,}000 (approximately), or US\$25 depending on context.
  • Relevant acts and bodies to remember: PESA (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996; Office of Government Ethics (USA); Ethics Commissioners (Canada); Ethics Advisory Service (Australia); ACRC (Korea); Committee on Standards in Public Life (UK).

• Exam-oriented prompts to practice

  • List stakeholders and ethical issues in a given public administration case study.
  • Outline immediate vs long-term interventions to address exploitation, corruption, and inefficiency.
  • Compare internal ethics committees with external bodies; discuss where each adds the most value.
  • Explain the interplay between private ethics and public ethics and provide an example of a potential conflict and resolution.
  • Describe a dilemma (e.g., civil liberties vs security) and discuss how tools of public reason could guide decision-making.