Ethics: November 2022 Current Affairs | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Q.1. Young people with ethical conduct are not willing to come forward to join active politics. Suggest steps to motivate them to come forward. 

Ans. In India, the word politics over time has come to be associated with corruption, political manipulation, opportunism, nepotism, along with weak moral integrity and character of political leaders. The flexing of muscle and money power in politics has made young people with ethical conduct wary of joining politics these days because
They fear that their ethical power cannot compete with the money and muscle power of modern day politician as they cannot be as ruthless as unethical politician in the pursuance of power.
They are also worried as their clean reputation may be spoiled in the dirty game of politics.
In such a scenario, it has become pertinent to motivate youngsters towards politics, through following ways:

• Instilling in them a sense of duty and responsibility towards the country and people and by virtue of which, in politics. They can’t change it for better by not entering the system itself.Encourage participation in political debates and school and university elections to raise political awareness and check the indifference creeping in the youth towards politics.
• Perception management by bringing upright leaders to limelight in public discourse, highlighting their work and showcasing the cases of punishment of corrupt leaders, Persuasion and incentives by having a platform dedicated to youth in political parties where they can share their ideas, voice their grievances, experiment with politics, like youth wings, so that they feel their part in political matters.
• The government and political parties should work together to define and implement career pathways in politics for qualified people, and provide career guidance to young people who want to enter politics in the future.

Q.2. (A) (a) The crisis of ethical values in modern times is traced to a narrow perception of the good life. Discuss  

• A good life is the realization of all the values - material, social, psychological, aesthetical, moral, ethical and human. The classical Indian tradition follows the realization of the four purusharthas (pillars) – Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha (religion, wealth, sensual pleasures, salvation).
• The crisis of ethical values in modern life can be traced to the narrow perception in terms of material values i.e., Artha and Kama (wealth and sensuous pleasure) alone. 
• The sole aim of all life has become attainment of personal success - defined in terms as acquisition of money, power and prestige. Its guiding slogan is, ‘higher the quantity of consumption, better the quality of life’. Therefore, the modern value crisis is mainly due to the narrow perception of a good life which overplays of the importance of material values of life and downplays other life values like the moral and ethical. 
• Life values like happiness, peace, contentment, etc which give meaning, worth and fullness to human existence are seen as roadblocks and unnecessary diversions from the high road to material success. Since a narrow way of good life cannot sustain in the long-run, there is need for the society in general to focus more on the broader aspects of values to lead a better quality life.

(b) Increased national wealth did not result in equitable distribution of its benefits. It has created only some “enclaves of modernity and prosperity for a small minority at the cost of the majority.” Justify. 

• According to a recent research paper by Thomas Piketty, the eminent French economist,  top 0.1% of earners in India captured a higher share of the total growth than the bottom 50%. This shows that there has been no ‘inclusive growth’ in India.The skewed income distribution patterns depict that the policy making in India has neither favoured the ‘utilitarian approach’ nor the ‘common goods; approach. 
• The nexus between the politicians and corporate (‘crony capitalism’) and the resulting corruption has led to concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a small minority.
• Rather than assuming the role of trustees of wealth, as Gandhi prescribed, there is an absolute lack of empathy and values like altruism and philanthropy. Due to the general degradation in the moral fibre of the society, there is unwillingness among the ‘haves’ to part with the wealth and power for the benefit of the majority.
• Consequently, India is witnessing the phenomena of ‘enclaves of modernity and prosperity for a small minority at the cost of the majority’.

Industrial chemicals are produced on a big scale by a conglomerate. It suggested establishing a second unit. Due to its negative impact on the environment, many states rejected this proposal. But one state government acceded to the request and permitted the unit close to a city, brushing aside all opposition. Further, the unit was set up 10 years ago and was in full swing till recently. The pollution caused by the industrial effluents was affecting the land, water, and crops in the area. It was also causing serious health problems to human beings and animals. This gave rise to a series of agitations demanding the closure of the plant. In a recent agitation, thousands of people took part, creating a law-and-order problem necessitating stern police action. Following the public outcry, the State government ordered the closure of the factory. The closure of the factory resulted in the unemployment of not only those workers who were engaged in the factory but also those who were working in the ancillary units. It also very badly affected those industries which depended on the chemicals manufactured by it.

As a senior officer entrusted with the responsibility of handling these issues, how are you going to address it?
Ans.
Introduction
The case involves the conflict between public health and environment safety v/s livelihood of people. It requires proper balance between environmental ethics and developmental ethics.
Body

• Stakeholders involved in the case are as under:
  • Me as a senior officer who is responsible to solve this case,
  • People living in the area,
  • Employee of the closed factory,
  • Ancillary units,
  • State government which gave permission to set up industrial unit,
  • MLA/MP of the area
• Ethical issues involved:
  • Emotional Intelligence: It would help senior officer in handling the difficult situation arising from the above case.
  • Empathy: It is an awareness of the needs and feelings of others both individually and in groups and being able to see things from the point of view of others.
  • Ethical dilemmas involved:
  • Environmental responsibility v/s development: There is a conflict between development and saving nature from degradation due to setting up of industrial unit.

Course of action

My course of action:

• My plan would be to look for solution that will keep the factory running under better environmental conditions as well as keep the jobs of the people.
• I would firstly visit the factory to analyze what were the issues that led to the factory closure. I would try to see if the factory could be modified with advance equipment that does not harm the nearby environment.
• If the conditions are good for modification, I would request for a special group of experts who can look for solutions for developing the factory under acceptable conditions.
• When the plans of modification worked well and environmental degradation is reduced, then I would need to convince the people for their approval for this project to go ahead. I would then provide them with proof so that they trust the administration.
• The factory administration would need to make the changes according to the environmental standards. If the factory does not have any funds, I would consider providing them with necessary resources in short term as a loan so that they can go ahead with the approved plan.
• In a scenario where no modification can be undertaken, then I would brainstorm alternative plans, so that people do not suffer. This can be done through setting up of another industry that is less polluting.
• If no such industry is set up, I would have to take steps that can allow the job losers to attain financial security. This can be done through transferring them to other industries as per their requirements and further, supporting them with self-employment opportunities by providing them with loans to set up small cooperative industries or small business.
• I would be conducting an investigation to find out whether environmental rules were flouted while giving permission to set up factory ten years back or there are any loopholes in the state’s Environmental Impact Assessment norms which were used by company. At the same time the inspection should be done to find out that other companies are not flouting norms and polluting the environment.
• Alternatively, I may order the shutdown of the industrial unit due to public outcry, then it would be short sighted solution as, it would shift the problem to some other place and consequently putting the health of people there at risk rather than providing a sustainable solution for the existing problem.
• However, this option is not viable and best course for action.

Conclusion
Thus, my final course of action would be combination of the first and second option where both people’s employment and environmental pollution are given focus. Further, if both the issues are addressed then I would consider this a successful operation.

Ranbir is the Chief executive officer of a company. The Company has been growing and has recruited quite a few specialists recently. The functional heads in the company have to meet their staff in an open meeting every two months. Ranbir detested these meetings. It was open to everyone in the office. The staff came up with a long list of trivial and tiresome complaints and grievances. They repeated the same things and spoke at length. Even when the staff knew of the constraints, they went on with their complaints. They wanted more space for lounge, for bathrooms and crèche. Ranbir pointed to lack of space, and yet the staff continued to complain. Ranbir cultivated a habit of sitting through the meeting with a cheerful face, but with his mind switched off from the proceedings. The meeting became a tiresome ritual he had to get through.Due these issues many employees had left the company and its further hampering the Business of the company.
Q. In Ranbir’s situation what action would you have taken and why?
Ans. The question focuses on understanding the needs of a team and the leader’s role in resolution of mundane problems of the team members. The source of the problem in this case is perhaps rooted in the fact that success of the company has brought forth induction of new team members and the present accommodation has thereby become inadequate and the situation had become worse due to Ranbir's attitude towards the grievances of the employees, lackadaisical approach towards the meeting with the employees.
Stakeholders involved in the case are:

• Company’s Ceo
• Employees of the Company
• New & old employees
• Shareholders of the Company

The situational challenges that are faced by the CEO are:

• Crisis Management: Handling crisis efficiently with limited resources and without or minimum adverse effects on the employees.
• Timely decision making to prevail the healthy work culture in the office and trust among the public for efficient decision making.
• Conflict management: Conflict management is another skill that managers need. The conflicts here mean the quarrels and disputes which frequently arise in organizations.

Ethical Components that could be utilised:

• Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence refers to ‘the ability to identify one’s own emotions and those of others, harness and apply them to tasks, and to regulate and manage them.
• Emotional Quotient (EQ): It is a measure of one’s EI i.e., through a standardized test, one’s awareness of emotions in relation to self and others is known.
• Empathy: It is an awareness of the needs and feelings of others both individually and in groups, and being able to see things from the point of view of others.
• Social Skills: It is applying empathy and balancing the wants and requirements of others with one’s. It includes building good rapport with others.

CEO’s course of action to resolve the issue,

• Concrete Plan of Action:
  • Since the business of the company is thriving and more specialist staffers have been recruited, Ranbir should quickly look for a bigger and better workplace.
• If employees still face issue:
  • Till such time that office expansion takes place relieving the pressure on facilities, he can take some small steps like:
• Cleaning Toilet: Taking very small steps to impress the employees like cleaning toilet on regular basis, but the problem is of space and not cleanliness, this step could impress the employees for few days but it would not be the final solution.
• Attentive listening:
  • By Carefully listening to the employee’s and then solving their problem are marks of sincere concern for any individual or group as a whole. Leaders in office need to show this quality. So, he has to be attentive however much he dislikes the grievances or narration thereof in the meetings.
  • He need not switch off in the meeting, rather he should listen to the grievances of the employees more empathically. These meetings serve a purpose. If he ignores all that the staff members have to say, the present employees could also resign. He has also to be responsive to what staff members say.
• Ignoring their Demands: He can ignore their demand and work as nothing has happened, but this step could hamper the productivity and future prospect of the company.
• Work from Home alternative: This step could be the possible alternative, as by providing hybrid model of work, it will ease the problem of space as employees can easily work from home and some employees can still come to office, so it eases the pressure on the office infrastructure.
• Allocation of office space on rent: By allocating a separate rental office space nearby only for temporary period till the proper office space is not required could solve the problems of faced by employees and satisfy all the parties to the dispute.

Conclusion
The conflict can only be resolved through the collective effort by all the stakeholders involved in the situation, where the company need to take initiatives to improve emotional intelligence, empathy and emotional quotient among its CEO, employees and other staff, so, there could be an open discussion and employees can freely express their concerns and CEO and management of the company should listen to the problems more attentively and should take proper measures to address the issues in due time.

You are a Municipal Corporation Commissioner of your city which is under heavy rainfall over the last few days. The boundary wall of one of the housing society collapses. The incident took place at midnight, leading to the death of 12 workers, including two children, sleeping in the shade beside the wall. On the preliminary inquiry, it has been found that inspite of inappropriate soil conditions, the permission to construct wall was given by previous Municipal Commissioner, who happens to be your close friend. Also, irregularities in construction material have been found and the other officials in the department are trying to influence or manipulate you. The whole scenario seems like a nexus between the officials of the municipal department and builder. However, the builder is a close relative of one of the most powerful leaders of the party in power and is trying to threaten you. 
(A) What are the ethical issues involved and the options available to you in such a situation? 
(B) Also, suggest a course of action you would like to follow.

Ans. Case and Facts

• Loss of human lives due to wall collapse.
• Quality of construction material not ensured and checked by officials involved.
• The permitting officer (previous Municipal Commissioner) is my close friend.
• Pressure from colleagues and political party in power.

Stakeholders Involved

• The victims
• Previous Municipal Commissioner
• Colleagues
• Self
• Builder

Issues Involved

• Neglect of human dignity, no regard to the lives of poor people.
• Personal v/s professional relations: It would be difficult to investigate a close friend.
• Political pressure v/s carrying out one’s duty to take action against the builder.

Options available are

• Initiating disciplinary action as well as proper criminal proceedings against the wrongdoers.
• This will ensure justice as well as an opportunity for fair procedure in a court of law.
• However, it would be challenging and detrimental for personal growth in the bureaucracy in the long run.
• Allowing matter to calm down and letting police to investigate the case.
• This would maintain good relations with the department members as well as the previous Commissioner, while simultaneously adhering to the wishes of political party leader.
• However, this would create dissonance and affect mental peace as the conscience would not allow loss of justice to the victims.

Course of Action

• Providing immediate medical support and compensation to the victims should be the utmost priority.
• Analysing the evidence of corruption, cross checking and verifying them.
• This will help to avoid any false or mistaken allegations.
• Following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of disciplinary action and report it to the concerned higher authority.
• Dissociating self from the investigation as friendship with previous Commissioner might influence the proceedings and create a conflict of interest.
• This would help avoid conflict of interest; ensure integrity, transparency and good governance.
• This would also help in breaking the nexus between the builder and the department members creating a deterrence effect.
• Initiate legal proceedings against the builder along with corrupt members of the department and not letting the political pressure affect the following SOPs.
• Finally, taking long term steps to reform the administration to avoid such instances in the future.
  • As the head of the organization, one must be answerable and accountable to ensure transparency in future construction contracts.
  • Social audits must be encouraged for effective governance.

Conclusion
The decision in such cases should not be based on friendly relations with colleagues. Probity and integrity should guide the decision in this case. The Municipal Commissioner must show courage of conviction, leadership and fortitude. The situation demands ethical neutrality of Max Weber so that personal relation is kept aside and civil service values are adhered.
Respect for human life is much above friendship and avarice for bureaucratic gains. As quoted by John Rawls in his theory of Justice, “Rights secured by justice are not subject to political bargaining or calculus of social interests.” Thus, ensuring social justice should be the prime responsibility of the Municipal Commissioner.