In democracy, many games are played. Some may be fair, with others being not so in kind, all in search of the vote. Those that we with our vote put into office often or at times reciprocate the liberation from dictatorship that democracy gives the people for a new kind of an almost lewd perpetration of inappropriate behavior. As has become the norm with matters as concern public officials, the question of question is completely out of order.
Most people in public office go about carrying out all manner of crimes, some of which are cardinal and others of which not too threatening. But how long can we or should we simply let the dirt under the carpet lie? Is it not about time that the accountability of these democratically elected individuals to offices kept up by the taxpayer’s money, be put to question? Dennis Thompson in the book Democratic Dirty Hands addresses these issues. He does this by
“developing a conception of political ethics that respects the demands for both morality and politics”
Harvard University Press’ Web page Dennis Thompson’s “Democratic Dirty Hands’ (main page)”
Contrary to the almost immediate belief (assumption) the book focuses only on political leaders, it actually casts an eye on all personalities who may be considered public including the professionals and members of the fourth estate who might and possibly will find themselves within the public eye. Dennis Thompson cites that it is through the answering of questions that we develop accountability for our politics, military, governance, nuclear activities, foreign affairs, welfare, healthcare, business, education, infrastructure, housing and any other issue that is directly or indirectly consequential to the general populace and therefore there is a need for a standard code of ethics that define a line between the proper and the improper. He does this by
“surveying the ethical conflicts of public officials over a range of political issues,”
Harvard University Press’ Web page
Dennis Thompson’s “Democratic Dirty Hands’ (main page)
Within the confines of this argument, the employment of theoretical analysis and practical prescription in a sort of marriage to be guidelines for the political ethical process’ development of rules through which accountability are developed. The defination of the guidelines is from a field of inquiry that though many have seen a need for, none has ever achieved
Harvard University Press’ Web page
Dennis Thompson’s “Democratic Dirty Hands’ (main page)”
Important issues need to be focused upon and undertaken in as transparent a way as is possible, and where there is a conflict of ethics this transparency cannot exist.
The book brings out these problems that are as a threat to the basis of democracy, for where the sufferance or endurance or toleration of unethical behavior come together, the defacing of the whole question of democracy lands at the top of the list of our concerns.
This new guideline gives an insight to the question of governance and places a sort of order to the semi-wilderness that follows around democracy.
