Moral Clarity IV - Self-Interest
This is the fourth in a series of blog posts
inspired by reading Susan Neiman's book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moral-Clarity-Grown-Up-Idealists-Revised/dp/06911…; target="”_blank”"><i>Moral
Clarity:
A
Guide for Grown-Up Idealists</i></a> (Princeton, 2008). <br>
<br>
One problem Americans have with respect to
government ethics is that one of our society’s principle ideologies is
that
everyone seeking his or her self-interest leads to a stronger economy
than any
government policy can provide. This is known popularly as free market
theory.<br>
<br>
Also
important to our society is the idea that
government are effectively markets of ideas in which variety of interests participate, all
seeking
what is best for them. This is known popularly as interest-group theory.
It’s
what lobbying is all about.<br>
<br>
But
for public servants, neither theory works.<br>
<br>
If
officials seek what is best for themselves,
either alone or in conjunction with others, no one will trust
government. <br>
<br>
In
addition, many elected officials got where they
are by pushing one interest or another – the interests of developers,
unions,
political parties, ethnic or racial groups. Their personal interest is
often closely tied
to interest groups seeking benefits from government, from jobs to
contracts to permits.<br>
<br>
With
respect to policy, relationships with interest groups are fine. The
problem
occurs when these relationships become operative outside of policy matters. That
is,
when they are applied to permits or contracts, when they lead to
favoritism and
undermine transparency.<br>
<br>
Even
ethical conduct is often presented in terms of
self-interest. It makes us feel good to act ethically. It’s good for
our
career. It makes people respect us. But, as Neiman points out, looking
at
ethics in terms of self-interest “leaves us helpless whenever morality
and
self-interest part company.”<br>
<br>
Other blog posts in this series:<br>
<a href="http://www.cityethics.org/node/1087" target="”_blank”">Reason
and Ideals</a></p>
<a href="http://www.cityethics.org/content/moral-clarity-ii-intentions">Intentio…;
<a href="http://www.cityethics.org/content/moral-clarity-iii-ethics-environments…; target="”_blank”">Ethics Environments</a><br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
---