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Ethics Class 1 Handout by BS
Ethics Class 1 Handout by BS
ATTRIBUTES OF GOVERNANCE
1. Governance is a neutral and dynamic term. This means that governance by itself is
neither good nor bad but can move in either direction, depending upon the actions of
each of the participants. Thus, it is critical for each participant, individual or institutional,
to conduct its affairs in a manner that contributes to a better quality of governance.
2. Governance is as much about the process as it is about the outcome. The better
the process, the better will be the outcome. Ideally, we seek to maintain a balance
between the two. But even if the objectives or ends are noble, the processes or means
through which they are to be achieved should not be compromised.
FRAMEWORK OF GOVERNANCE
Unfortunately, the assessment in the Indian context is still not satisfactory, with numerous
shortcomings on the part of each of the stakeholders.
This makes it vital to inculcate willingness within each participant to introspect upon their
own actions and self-regulate themselves. This can happen when people act out of a sense
of responsibility, rather than only when they are answerable to others. Therefore, it becomes
important to promote an ethical quality of governance, based on a strong value system.
ETHICAL GOVERNANCE
Ethical governance refers to a system where the conduct and the objectives of each of the
participants are closely aligned with the collectively determined values, ideals and
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aspirations of the nation. In the Indian context, such values are most significantly expressed
in the Preamble, the Fundamental Rights, the Directive Principles of State Policy and the
Fundamental Duties enshrined in the Constitution.
Since ethical governance is value-based, it faces two crucial problems:
i) Adopting and inculcating values is not easy. Consistent adherence to a value will
require discipline, hardships and even sacrifice.
ii) Values can be subjective in interpretation. This means that even if we agree upon
the same value, the manner in which we interpret it may differ. Each such
difference has the potential of causing friction and conflict.
The problem with responsibility is that it is self-determined and hence subjective. This makes
it difficult to arrive at a standardised evaluation of what would constitute responsible conduct.
This also makes it difficult to impose penalties that would affect an individual’s material
position. The only penalties that can be imposed are feelings of shame, guilt or regret. Even
these penalties cannot be imposed without self-realisation. Thus, enforcing responsibility
becomes extremely difficult and necessitates the establishment of accountability.
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