Question.
Explain the ethical dilemmas faced by public servants. Will conscience be helpful in their solution? Discuss.
( UPPSC, UP PCS Mains General Studies-4/Ethics 2018)
Answer.
Public servants are those people who work for the government with the primary aim of serving the public interest.
Public servants are often faced with ethical dilemmas in performing their duties. Ethical dilemmas are complex situations that involve conflicting moral values, and the public servants must decide which action to take based on one value, which has positive implications for the public, their organization, and themselves.
The following are some ethical dilemmas generally faced by public servants while performing duties-
- Dilemmas between Rule and traditions values
- Dilemmas Between Personal Values and Professional Values
- Dilemmas Between Friends' Loyalty and Impartiality Values
- Dilemmas Between Personal Life and Professional Life
- Dilemmas Between Friends' Loyalty and Impartiality Values
- Dilemma Between Loyalty to the Boss and Loyalty to Society or Organization.
- The Dilemma Between Duty and Consequences
The dilemma between Rules and traditions of society:
Civil servants often face dilemmas between traditional social or religious values and constitutional values. For example, as per social values, women should not go to the temple during the menstrual cycle but as per rule, women can go any time. This is one dilemma, that which one should be followed.
The Dilemma Between Personal Values and Professional Values:
Civil servants often face the conflict between personal values and professional values. For example, someone believes in non-violence principles, but if they become I.P.S., sometime a situation may arise that violence is necessary for social peace.
The Dilemma Between Friends' Loyalty and Impartiality Values :
For example, if a civil servant's friend wants to get support on getting some work contract but an ethical dilemma arises in both situations, because it is against the civil service value of impartiality.
The Dilemma Between Personal Life and Professional Life
For example, civil servants often do not have much time for family, so there is a dilemma here between the preference between personal leisure and public life.
Yes, conscience will help in solving ethical dilemmas:
Self-conscience is very helpful in promoting self-awareness and critical thinking. Conscience refers to the inner voice of self that is derived from own values, thoughts, feelings, and actions, and to be aware of how they affect oneself and others.
When public servants face ethical dilemmas, consciousness helps them to consider the different perspectives and values that are involved in the situation, and to reflect on their own beliefs, and the best interest of the public.
Conscience helps to avoid conflicting principles by taking the right decision based on own values. Our conscience helps in analyzing the situation better.
Conscience helps to make decision-based on emotional intelligence that helps to solve many dilemmas.
In conclusion, public servants have many responsibilities related to the public, family, self, and the overall economy. They face ethical dilemmas, however, self-conscience can be a valuable tool in solving ethical dilemmas by promoting critical thinking, compassion, wisdom, and ethical behaviors.
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