The Role of Ethics in Government

How Ethics is Related to the Current Energy Crisis

Ethics play a major role in government. National officials must use ethics to determine laws' effectiveness, decide when new laws need to be made, and implement policies and procedures which influence continuity and integrity for the nation as a whole. Governments also need to be open to input from the people, as well as outside audits from ethicists who intend to improve the governments' policies and procedures. For the sake of argument, this paper will focus on this latter statement; and how improving current grants and government assistance programs can help the United States' environment and economy.

In order to clarify the role of ethics within government, one must understand what government truly is. Gregory Foster (Foster 2001, pg. 6) describes government as a social contract (or an implied ethical compact) designed to unite the people, the ones governing those people, and the ones protecting the freedoms of those people. It involves a mutual agreement on rights, obligations, and expectations. It is the government official's responsibility to bring about laws, and enforcement of those laws, that help the people live together peacefully. It is the people's responsibility to get informed on issues, and voice their concerns and desires.

One notable guiding force amongst lawmakers is "the right to be free from fear in our homes, on our streets, and in our communities" (Thornburgh 1990, pg. 205). This same author also states that "justice in this nation is a principle based...on a particular value: the essential goodness of the vast majority of Americans" (pg 206). Notice Thornburgh uses the term "vast majority"; this implies that there will be faults and even corruption. Therefore, it is the government's responsibility to not only create laws that ensure peace and freedom from fear, but also maintain that these laws are enforceable and justly enforced; and the regulations proscribe impropriety and provide for appropriate penalties should they be violated (Foster pg.8).