Paper 5 (3) ,Lesson 5

12 -JULY-13

Civil Service and Ethics

Syllabus: 1. Public/civil service values and ethics in Public administration, Ethical concerns
and dilemmas in government 2. Aptitude and foundational values for civil service, integrity,
impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy,
tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections.
1. What is the difference between illegal organization and legal organization in terms
ethics?
2. What is the source of ethics for bureaucrats?
3. How is globalization changing the content of ethics?
4. What should be a civil servants attitude towards rules?
5. How can a civil servant make use of technology to promote ethics?
6. How can an application of rules can sometime be source of corruption?
7. How can regulation influence ethical conduct?
8. How can transparency influence ethics?
9. How does media contribute to ethics?
10.How does the separation of powers in a democracy contribute to ethics?
11.How will a centralized system deteriorate ethically?
12.How do you make corruption more risky?
13.How do families contribute to ethical conduct?
14.What is the link between corruption and culture? Explain in terms of
Lag between modern values and traditional values
Inequalities in the society
Valuing money regardless of the way it is earned
Consumerism
15.Discuss Max Webers ideal type. What are its limitations? Is the right model for ethical
conduct?
All over the world, ethical conduct is being demanded from the leaders.
Source of ethics here constitution dispassionate in enforcing laws,
Framework involves taking care of the people affected for examples those displaced by
projects. Those who lost jobs due to liberalization and globalization.
Now ethics is not confined to individual constitutions. There is universal declaration of human
rights. Ethics includes that.
Demand for ethics has been the source of movements all over the world and in India.
Ethics for civil servant:
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Not just financial aspects

Includes compassion, keeping interests of society, being responsive, remaining
transparent

Compulsions of politicians
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Impractical promises

Paper 5 (3) ,Lesson 5

12 -JULY-13

Civil Service and Ethics

What is the position of the rules?

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One should not forget they are for the greater good

In 2000, CVC published the names of public servants guilty of corruption. Newsweek called it
e-shame.
Max Weber

Weber gave ideal type of bureaucracy neither an ideal, nor average, but
accentuated core features

Three source of legitimacy to domination- tradition, legal-rational, charismatic

Authority is legitimate domination legal based is more efficient and rational

Bureaucracy has the following features, both in public and private
Rules, specified sphere of competence, hierarchy, technical qualification, suitable
training, no ownership of means of production, written decision
Person is just a cog in the machine, no choice
Rationalization is part of this global trend