After a thorough introspection of the previous year’s question paper, it is quite evident that many questions are general ones and many aspirants and successful candidates have said that there is no preparation needed. This is true in the cases of many but not for the majority. It is an accepted fact that the paper is easy and anyone with a good writing command can write this well.
But in spite of this, never under estimate the UPSC as they have already given the syllabus. So certain theoretical aspects given in the syllabus should be at least covered for enriching your knowledge base.
So our series is only a support booster for your preparation in GS PAPER IV.
THE EQUATION IS: (ANYWAY I CAN WRITE ANYTHING ATTITUDE)+ GOOD WRITING STYLE & COMMAND+ (Knowledge from the 'Theoretical stuff' from the UPSC SYLLABUS) = GOOD MARKS
NB: Knowledge from the syllabus part is mandatory to approach the question with clarity
Before you read this post, let me give some questions relating to the events. These areas are important for the Mains exam and an idea about this happening will definitely shape your total stream of ideas. So go through certain questions and try to answer them.
PLEASE NOTE: These Mains questions are just an attempt to figure out and make some useful questions for your benefit.
The answer to all these may not figure in this article, but will definitely give you an insight how a question can be asked. You will get a good a good angle after reading this post and ultimately it’s you who should think and find answers. The central idea can be picked from this post.
While writing, you can disagree and agree with the statements. After all there is no readymade answers to all this. Use your ideas+ style+ interpretation and write a balanced answer.
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTIONS FROM THIS AREA
1."The higher the level of ethics, the lower the need for strong instruments of external accountability and control & conversely, lower the level of ethics, higher the need for potent external means for ensuring accountability" Discuss
2. Is the administrative system confined to acting morally in its conduct or does it also share the responsibility of protecting and promoting an ethical order in the larger society? Support your answers with examples
3. Which are the essential concerns in regard to administrative ethics? Which are the values that are considered desirable in an administrative action? Substantiate your answer
4. Can we treat efficiency as `ethics’? Critically analyse the statement.
5. "Administering accountability and ethics is a difficult task". Critically examine the statement.
6."Each person possesses an inviolability founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole cannot override." Elucidate.
7. "The administrators need to be guarded against their tendency to misconceive public interest, promote self-interest, indulge in corruption and cause subversion of national interest." Analyse
8."Formalism’ and ‘nepotism’ points out the yawning gap between the `ideal’ and the `real’ in administrative behaviour. Justify your answer
9. How is the administrative ethics of the twenty-first century likely to be different from that of the twentieth century? Explain
10. "For any governance system to be transparent, accountable, efficient and sensitive, a Code of Ethics in the form of service rules, procedural norms, and administrative strategies is an inevitable need" Discuss.
THE CHAPTER CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING SUBHEADS
v ETHICAL CONCERNS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
v ETHICS + EVOLUTION
v WHAT ARE THE THREE SCHOOL OF ETHICS ACCORDING TO WESTERN PHILOSOPHY?
v RAWLS THEORY OF JUSTICE
v MAX WEBERS BUREACRATIC CONSTRUCTION & ITS ETHICAL IMPERATIVES
v CONTEXT OF ETHICS AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
v ISSUE OF ETHICS: FOCI AND CONCERNS
v THE FAIRNESS VS OBJECTIVITY ANGLE
v WHAT ARE THE SALIENT ASPECTS OF ETHICS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION?
v PERTINENCE OF CODE OF ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS
v NATURE OF WORK ETHICS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
v TOWARDS NEW DIMENSIONS OF ETHICS
v OBSTACLES TO ETHICAL ACCOUNTABILITY IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
v “WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO GUARD THE GUARDIANS"?--
ETHICAL CONCERNS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Ø ‘Ethics’ is integral to public administration.
Ø In public administration, ethics focuses on how the public administrator should question and reflect in order to be able to act responsibly.
Ethics is a comprehensive concept, encompassing all facets of administration. Emphasis on moral and ethical norms has been an integral part of our tradition
ETHICS + EVOLUTION
Ø The ethical concerns of governance have been underscored widely in Indian scriptures and other treatises such as Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagvad Gita, Buddha Charita, Arthashastra, Panchatantra, Manusmriti, Kural, Shukra Niti, Kadambari, Raja Tarangani, and Hitopadesh
WHAT ARE THE THREE SCHOOL OF ETHICS ACCORDING TO WESTERN PHILOSOPHY?
1. Inspired by Aristotle
2. Inspired by Immanuel Kant
3. Utilitarian school
Ø The first, inspired by Aristotle, holds that virtues (such as justice, charity and generosity) are dispositions to act in ways that benefit the possessor of these virtues and the society of which he is a part.
Ø The second, subscribed to mainly by Immanual Kant, makes the concept of duty central to morality: human beings are bound, from knowledge of their duty as rational beings, to obey the categorical imperative to respect other rational beings with whom they interact.
Ø The third is the Utilitarian viewpoint that asserts that the guiding principle of conduct should be the greatest happiness (or benefit) of
Øthe greatest number
Rawl’s theory of justice revolves around the adaptation of two fundamental principles of justice, which would, in turn, guarantee a just and morally acceptable society.
SO TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT RAWLS THEORY OF JUSTICE
Ø Since it appeared in 1971, John Rawls's A Theory of Justice has become a classic.
Ø Rawls aims to express an essential part of the common core of the democratic tradition--justice as fairness--and to provide an alternative to utilitarianism, which had dominated the Anglo-Saxon tradition of political thought since the nineteenth century
Ø Rawls substitutes the ideal of the social contract as a more satisfactory account of the basic rights and liberties of citizens as free and equal persons.
Rawls's theory of justice revolves around the adaptation of two fundamental principles of justice which would, in turn, guarantee a just and morally acceptable society.
Ø The first principle guarantees the right of each person to have the most extensive basic liberty compatible with the liberty of others.
Ø The second principle states that social and economic positions are to be
(a) To everyone's advantage
(b) Open to all
Ø He introduces a theoretical ‘veil of ignorance’ in which all ‘players’ in the social game would be placed in a situation, which is called the ‘original position’.
OKAY NOW COME BACK & TELL US MORE ABOUT ETHICS & EVOLUTION
Ø Dwight Waldo comments, the old belief that good government was the government of moral men was thus replaced by a morality that was irrelevant and that proper institutions and expert personnel were the determining factors in shaping good government.
Ø The current discipline of public administration accords primacy to the `values’ of equity, justice, humanism, human rights, gender equality and compassion
Ø The movement of Good Governance, initiated by the World Bank in 1992, lays stress on the ethical and moral conduct of administrators.
Ø The New Public Management movement is more concerned with administrative effectiveness; the New Public Administration focuses on administrative ethics in its broader manifestation.
MAX WEBERS BUREACRATIC CONSTRUCTION ALSO HAD ETHICAL IMPERATIVES. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT?
DO TELL ME ABOUT THIS MAX WEBER OKAY!!!!
Max Weber was a 19th-century German sociologist and one of the founders of modern sociology.
Ø He wrote The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism in 1905
Ø Max Weber a German sociologist propounded the theory called principle of bureaucracy – a theory related to authority structure and relations in the 19th century.
Ø According to him, bureaucracy is the formal system of organization and administration designed to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
Ø
He suggested an ideal model for management as bureaucratic approach.
Principles of bureaucratic theory (SUMMARISED FROM TYROCITY)
1) Job specialization: - Jobs are divided into simple, routine and fixed category based on competence and functional specialization.
2) Authority hierarchy: - Officers are organized in a hierarchy in which higher officer controls lower position holders i.e. superior controls subordinates and their performance of subordinates and lower staff could be controlled.
3) Formal selection: - All organizational members are to be selected on the basis of technical qualifications and competence demonstrated by training, education or formal examination.
4) Formal rules and regulations: - To ensure uniformity and to regulate actions of employees, managers must depend heavily upon formal organizational rules and regulations. Thus, rules of law lead to impersonality in interpersonal relations.
5) Impersonality: - Rules and controls are applied uniformly, avoiding involvement with personalities and preferences of employees.
Nepotism and favoritism are not preferred.
6) Career orientation: - Career building opportunity is offered highly.
Lifelong employment and adequate protection of individuals against arbitrary dismissal is guaranteed. Here managers are professional officials rather than owners units they manage. They work for a fixed salaries and pursue their career within the organization.
NOW I HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT WEBER, SO COME BACK TO MAX WEBERS BUREACRATIC CONSTRUCTION & ITS ETHICAL IMPERATIVES
Ø In the rational type, it is a matter of principle that the members of the administrative staff should be completely separated from ownership of the means of production and administration
Ø Weber’s analysis underscores the need to prevent the misuse of an official position for personal gains.
Ø Although his ideal-type construct on bureaucracy is not empirical, yet it has an empirical flavour.
CONTEXT OF ETHICS AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
The Historical Context
Ø The Spoils System in the USA during the initial phase of the American nation vitiated the ethical milieu of the American Public Administration.
Ø Kautilya’s Arthashastra mentions a variety of corrupt practices in which the administrators of those times indulged themselves.
Ø The Mughal Empire and the Indian princely rule were also afflicted with the corrupt practices of the courtiers and administrative functionaries, with ‘Bakashish’ being one of the accepted means of selling and buying favours.
Ø The forces of probity and immorality co-exist in all phases of human history
The distance between the governing elite and the citizens has been reduced substantially in the transformed democratic regimes, yet the affinity and trust between the two has not been total even in the new dispensation
The Socio-cultural Context
Ø Values that permeate the social order in a society determine the nature of governance system
Ø We seem to be living in an economic or commercial society, where uni-dimensional growth of individuals seem to be accepted and even valued, where ends have been subdued by means, and ideals have been submerged under the weight of more practical concerns of economic progress
Ø The Indian society today seems to prefer wealth to any other value.
Thiru Valluvar’s Kural, written two thousand years ago in Tamil Nadu, emphasises that earning wealth brings fame, respect and an opportunity to help and serve others
Ø The cultural system of a country, including its religious orientation, appears to have played a significant role in influencing the work ethics of its people
Ø The family system and the educational system are influential instruments of socialization and training of the mind in its impressionable years.
Legal-judicial Context
Ø A neatly formulated law, with a clear stress on the norms of fair conduct and honesty, is likely to distinguish chaff from grain in the ethical universe.
An efficient and effective judiciary with fast-track justice system will prove a roadblock to immorality in public affairs.
Ø Conversely, a slow-moving judiciary, with a concern for letter rather than the spirit of the law, will dither and delay and even help the perpetrators of crimes by giving them leeway through prolonged trials and benefits of doubt
The Political Context
The political leadership, whether in power or outside the power-domain, is perhaps the single most potent influence on the mores and values of citizens
Ø Spending millions on the elections `compels’ a candidate to reimburse his expenses through fair or foul means – more foul than fairgroups and the media also influence the orientation and attitudes on moral questions.
Ø If politicians act as authentic examples of integrity, as happens in the Scandinavian countries, the administrative system cannot remain immune to the levels of political morality
Ø The behaviour of politicians has a demonstration effect on civil servants
If the media is objective and fearless, its role in preventing corruption can be effective. It can even act as a catalyst to the promotion of ethical behaviour among administrators.
The Economic Context
Ø The level of economic development of a country is likely to have a positive correlation with the level of ethics in the governance system
A lower level of economic development, when accompanied with inequalities in the economic order, is likely to create a chasm among social classes and groups.
Ø The less privileged or more deprived sections of society may get tempted to forsake principles of honest conduct while fulfilling their basic needs of existence and security
Ø With the advent of liberalizing economic regime in developing nations, there is a growing concern about following the norms of integrity in industry, trade, management and the governance system
ISSUE OF ETHICS: FOCI AND CONCERNS
Ø While most of the focus on administrative morality is on the aspect of probity within the administrative system, there is a need to consider the issue of the responsibility of the governance system (of which the administrative system is an integral part)
It is to create and sustain an ethical ambience in the socio-economic system that would nurture and protect the basic moral values
TELL US ABOUT THE FAIRNESS VS OBJECTIVITY ANGLE
The two issues of ethical decision-making, viz. fairness and objectivity are, in fact, integral components of administrative justice.
Ø When administrators are true to their profession, they are expected to be impartial and fair and not get influenced by nepotism, favoritism and greed while making decisions of governance.
Ø Objectivity should not be misconstrued as a mechanical and rigid adherence to laws and rules.
Ø From the decision-making angle, it has undoubtedly wider ramifications encompassing a set of positive orientations.
WHAT ARE THE SALIENT ASPECTS OF ETHICS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION?
Maxim of Legality and Rationality: An administrator will follow the law and rules that are framed to govern and guide various categories of policies and decisions.
Maxim of Responsibility and Accountability
Maxim of Work Commitment
Maxim of Excellence
Maxim of Fusion: An administrator would rationally bring about a fusion of individual, organizational and social goals to help evolve unison of ideals and imbibe in his behaviour a commitment to such a fusion
Maxim of Responsiveness and Resilience
Maxim of Utilitarianism
Maxim of Compassion
Maxim of National Interest
Maxim of Justice
Maxim of Transparency
Maxim of Integrity
PERTINENCE OF CODE OF ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS
Ø The concept of ethics has been a latecomer in the realm of public administration. For too long, doing one’s duty well was considered to be an equivalent of bureaucratic ethics
Ø Interestingly, in the United States, the original city managers’ and federal code of ethics placed notable stress on efficiency as ethical concept.
Ø Moreover, ethics education has also permeated the discipline of public administration.
The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) had adopted in 1984 a Code of Ethics for its members (comprising intellectuals as well as practicing administrators). It was revised in 1994.
Certain salient points of the ASPA’s Code of Ethics are as follows:
§ Exercise of discretionary authority to promote public interest
§ Recognition and support to the public’s right to know the public business
§ Exercise of compassion, benevolence, fairness and optimism
§ Prevention of all forms of mismanagement of public funds by establishing and maintaining strong fiscal and management controls, by
§supporting audits and investigative activities
§ Protection of Constitutional principles of equality, fairness, representativeness, responsiveness and due process in protecting citizens’ rights
§ Maintenance of truthfulness and honesty and not to compromise them for advancement, honour, or personal gain
§ Guarding zealously against conflict of interest or its appearance: e.g. nepotism, improper outside employment, misuse of public resources or the acceptance of gifts
§ Establishment of procedures that promote ethical behaviour and hold individuals and organizations accountable for their conduct
Ø No ethical code can provide a sure shot answer for every decisional dilemma; such a code can certainly provide broad guidelines while dealing with critical moral paradoxes in administrative decisions and actions
Ø A judicious blend of `ought’ and `possible’ will make an ethical code a helpful instrument in sustaining an ethical order
Ø The conduct rules should not be confined to the ‘don’ts’ of administrative behaviour but should also be helpful in resolving ethical dilemmas.
NATURE OF WORK ETHICS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Ø It represents a commitment to the fulfillment of one’s official responsibilities with a spirit of dedication, involvement and sincerity.
Ø Efficiency has been a constant concern of administrative analysis and good governance
A genuinely efficient person has a regard for the higher goals of governance, including public welfare and he devotes himself to the expeditious achievement of those goals.
Ø Thus, an `efficient person is also an ethical person
Ø The overall work culture in public systems in India is relatively lower than that prevailing in the public sector and that existing in the government systems in most developing countries.
The major factor behind the poor quality of output of public systems is the carelessness and callousness on the part of government functionaries.
Ø They do not put in their best in their work and are half-heartedly involved in their duties. Resultantly, there are unrealistic policies, irrational decisions, erratic changes in government systems and an indifference towards the beneficiaries of the system.
Ø There should be prescribed specific norms of productivity and work performance for organizational units and even individuals.
Ø A comprehensive and inclusive performance appraisal system should be adopted.
Ø Punctuality and promptness in administrative affairs must be valued and along with the quality of work performed; these should become the criteria for reward and punishment in organizations
Ø Seniors should motivate their juniors to take initiative, and responsibility, and also be enterprising and efficient
Administrators ought to evolve and demonstrate a higher level of emotional as well as spiritual intelligence that would make them empathetic as well sympathetic to feelings of a common person.
Ø Ethical behaviour emanates from a pure and kind heart, and therefore, those who are in the business of serving people should train their heart to be sensitive and compassionate.
Ø A positive and healthy approach to services entails courtesy and politeness in administrative behaviour.
Two areas where administrators ought to show an attentive and caring attitude is to provide correct and useful information to clients when they need it and to redress satisfactorily the citizens’ grievances
TOWARDS NEW DIMENSIONS OF ETHICS
Ø Openness is the enemy of corruption. Almost all countries of the world have Freedom of Information or Right to Information Acts
Ø In India, the Freedom of Information Act of 2002 was redesigned as Right to Information Act, which was enacted in 2005.
The State machinery should be ready to punish those civil servants who obstruct the implementation of Right to Information Act.
Ø In the American system, ‘whistle blowing’ by public employees is considered as legitimate and statutorily protected.
Ø In Britain, a new appeals procedure for civil servants has come into effect.
Ø Under this procedure, a civil servant could raise concerns, confidentially, with an individual outside his normal hierarchy and later to the Civil Service Commissioner
Ø There is a need to develop a fresh perspective on these issues.
OBSTACLES TO ETHICAL ACCOUNTABILITY IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Ø Effective accountability helps the achievement of ethical standards in the governance system.
Ø Legislative or parliamentary control through questions, debates and committees provide ample opportunity to the people’s representatives to raise, among other things, issues of ethics and morality in the governance system
Self-accountability and external accountability are interrelated for it is the latter that imposes expectations on the former
“WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO GUARD THE GUARDIANS"?--A VALID QUESTION
There are certain intrinsic features of the administrative system that make it difficult for the external regulating institutions to control it and also ensure its accountability.
Special Expertise and Information
Ø Public administrators are often experts in their specific area of functioning and it is difficult for any outside agency to surpass them in their areas of specialization.
Ø Moreover, they generate and control crucial information that may be difficult to be accessed or even comprehended by law regulators, much less by the common citizens.
Full-Time Status
Most public administrators are full-time, while outsiders cannot devote equal amount of time in overseeing their activities – legislators, judiciary, Comptroller and Auditor General of India and even the media have relatively less time to keep a watch over the actions of administrators.
Massive Expansion of Bureaucracy
The numbers of public personnel as well as the agencies they work for have gone up so much that it is difficult for the political executive or the legislature to exercise effective control over them
Lack of Coordination
Excessive Security
Ø Most countries grant protection to civil servants and refrain from punishing them for the common lapses in the performance of their duties.
Ø Besides, there are no punishments prescribed for non-performance or for low productivity.
Ø Article 311 of the Indian Constitution makes it almost impossible to remove a civil servant.
Ø A sense of over-security pervades the personnel system and the inquiry system is so dilatory and cumbersome that it is devoid of any threat or fear
Misinterpretation of Role and Obligation
Ø Civil servants frequently engage themselves in actions that are unethical and against public interest
Ø There is a general tendency among administrators to view public interest from a narrow angle and tunnel vision
Ø The Police Department, because of pressure from its political bosses is caught between the compulsion of hierarchy and the obligation of duty.
The police officials generally succumb to political pressures in order to save their own interests and that of their families
Orthodox Loyalty
Ø It is customary in the Indian society to show respect to the superior and to refrain from criticism of one’s boss in a public organization
Ø Any voice against the superiors is considered as an act of insubordination.
Ø In such a cultural climate, even the honest and conscientious employees do not speak out against unethical practices of their peers and seniors
Trivial and the Substantive Ethics
In matters of administrative ethics, occasionally we tend to be ‘penny wise and pound foolish’. It means we delve into the trivial rather than more pertinent and serious issues of ethics. We need to guard against this trend
Employees’ Unions
In a political system, where employees’ unions are aligned with powerful political parties – whether in power or in opposition – administrative leadership refrains from taking a tough stand even against the culprit employees for fear of compulsive back-tracking or humiliation
Corruption
Ø It is betrayal of public trust for protecting private interests.
Ø Corruption is currently viewed as a universal phenomenon, although the nature and quantum of corruption differ from nation to nation.
Ø ‘Speed money’ in India implies a fee to expedite the processing of a governmental favour;
Ø La mordida or ‘the bite’ are popular forms of bribes in the Latin America;
Ø Shtraff is the Russian version of a small bribe
Ø La bustarella cannotes a little envelope (containing bribe) in Italy; while in Israel, ‘protekzi’” refers to the exploitation of personal contracts to achieve a favourable treatment from administrators
Ø One can often witness ‘Weather-cock’ syndrome in relation to government corruption. When the top rung of the political or administrative executive gets tough on corruption, the middle and lower level hierarchy in both the systems get cautious about issues of
Øethics
Subversion
There may be, within the government, attempts to subvert friendly relations with foreign countries. In extreme cases, civil servants may subvert certain government programmes like family planning or prevention of illegal migration
Training
An important aspect of bureaucratic socialization is training.
The Media
In an open society, media can play an important role in highlighting unethical practices in the governance system.
How is the administrative ethics of the twenty-first century likely to be different from that of the twentieth century?
Ø The answer is to be found in the increasing convergence of ethical concerns at the cross-national level.
Ø Globalization of the economic order is likely to pave the way for the globalization of governance issues.
Ø There would be universally uniform configurations of the governance systems, much less the bureaucratic systems
Ø The mitigation of chasm among nations in the realm of the goals, philosophy and strategies of governance, the ethical concerns are likely to transcend international boundaries
