POLITICS AND ETHICS

 Ethics can be said to be morality aspect of man’s life. Put simply, it is that branch of learning that deals with the values relating to human conduct with respect to rightness and wrongness of certain action. According, Chandler and Plano (1988) Ethics are the rules and standards governing the moral conduct of the members of an organization.

Politics on the other hand, in the word of David Easton (1963) is the authoritative allocation of values in the society. It is imperative to note that “values” in the above definition means all things sought after in the society such as wealth, prestige, honour etc.

Be that as it may, ethics sometimes has no place in politics. This is because what is morally wrong can be politically right e.g. political corruption. Political corruption is politically right in eyes of the politician because they believe the society we live in is not morally upright. Therefore they see nothing wrong with political corruption. This coincides with the assertion of Niccolo Machiavelli “the end justifies the means”.

Also if there is ethics in politics, why political assassination, embezzlement, rigging of election etc. This explains why a scholar asserts that politics is a dirty game which politician use to acquire power to subjugate, oppress and suppress their fellow human.

Ethics has no place in politics with the killing of Bola Ige, Funsho William, Ayodeji Daramola, the crisis between Obasanjo and Atiku during Obsanjo’s second time of office. All these shows that there is no ethics in Nigeria politics.

Therefore, one can hurriedly conclude that, ethics is rather a myth in Nigeria politics, but in word of Aristoltle (384 – 322 BC) who asserts that government came into existence for the sake of man and it continue to exist for the sake good life.

 

On the other hand, people tend to view wrongness and rightness of certain action. Thus, political ethics constitute the driving force of political system or activities. Hence, ethics and politics are inseparable. For instance, political philosophers are concerned with how best to govern a society for peaceful co-existence of people living in the society. Not only that, little wonder Aristotle (384 – 322 BC) has made us realize that man can only seek moral, physical and intellectual perfection with an organized state. In that instance, one can posit that there is ethics in politics.

Furthermore, Chandler and Plano opined that ethics can be divided into four major school of thought, that is;

1.      Empirical theory: Rightness and wrongness base on experience and consequences e.g the use of hydrogen bomb.

2.      Rational theory: Rightness and wrongness of action through “Reason”

3.      Intuitive theory: Through “natural moral law” (using head to walk is wrong)

4.      Revelation: Through the word of God i.e the Quran and Bible.

All these are relevant in the study of political phenomenon. This is because individual react negatively to some situation that threatens their peaceful co-existence.

For instance, the use of weapon of mass destruction or hydrogen bomb is unethical, because if such weapon is unleashed or put to use, it may threatened the peace of the society and controlling of such weapon might be difficult. Not only that, the building of fusion bomb by USSR (1942) and fission bomb (1943) later resulted to MAD (mutual assured destruction). Hence, the establishment of SALT (strategic armed limitation talk 1963, 1972, 1983 etc) to sabotaged and put an end to MAD (mutual assured destruction) further reinforce the relationship between ethics and politics.

Conclusively, sometimes ethics has no place in politics, especially in Nigeria. However, government is seen as a regulatory mechanism with rules on the ban of alcohol, kidnapping, sexual harassment etc.

Also, rightness and wrongness of certain action can come from the authority above human (i.e God). In this view, the Holy books i.e the Quran and Bible are the final arbiters of conduct. Hence, government thus respect the pronouncement of God for orderliness and stability in the society.

 

                                                                                                            OLAYIWOLA OLAMIDE

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