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  • Private Interests and Public Ethics - The Hindu

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    SaiChaitanya
    33 просмотров2 страницы
    The document discusses the issue of leaks in public institutions and debates whether transparency should always be valued over other considerations in a democracy. It notes that while accountability is important, transparency is not equally important for all dimensions of public life. When institutions deliberate policies, individuals' judgments and interests inevitably shape discussions, so complete transparency could undermine open debate. It argues we need a nuanced approach - transparency is crucial for accountability but other values like fairness and free exchange of ideas also matter. Institutions may function best when individuals can openly discuss issues without fear of leaks revealing their views.

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    The document discusses the issue of leaks in public institutions and debates whether transparency should always be valued over other considerations in a democracy. It notes that while accountability is important, transparency is not equally important for all dimensions of public life. When institutions deliberate policies, individuals' judgments and interests inevitably shape discussions, so complete transparency could undermine open debate. It argues we need a nuanced approach - transparency is crucial for accountability but other values like fairness and free exchange of ideas also matter. Institutions may function best when individuals can openly discuss issues without fear of leaks revealing their views.

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    33 просмотров2 страницы

    Private Interests and Public Ethics - The Hindu

    Загружено:

    SaiChaitanya
    The document discusses the issue of leaks in public institutions and debates whether transparency should always be valued over other considerations in a democracy. It notes that while accountability is important, transparency is not equally important for all dimensions of public life. When institutions deliberate policies, individuals' judgments and interests inevitably shape discussions, so complete transparency could undermine open debate. It argues we need a nuanced approach - transparency is crucial for accountability but other values like fairness and free exchange of ideas also matter. Institutions may function best when individuals can openly discuss issues without fear of leaks revealing their views.

    Авторское право:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Скачайте в формате PDF, TXT или читайте онлайн в Scribd
    Отметить как неприемлемый контент
    из 2

    3/14/2015

    PrivateinterestsandpublicethicsTheHindu

    Today'sPaperOPINION
    Privateinterestsandpublicethics
    GurpreetMahajan
    Giventhenowprevalentcultureofleakingconfidentialinformation,somescepticismandselfdoubtasanindispensableingredient
    fordemocraticfunctioningiscalledfor

    FREETOSPEAK:Institutionsfunctionwellwhenindividualsarenotmerelycomfortableairingtheirviewsprivately,butcanspeaktheirmind
    beforeothersintheinstitution.FilephotoofIndiaAgainstCorruptionactivistsPrashantBhushan,ArvindKejriwal,YogendraYadav,Shanti
    Bhushan,GopalRaiandothersinNewDelhiduringtheannouncementoftheAamAadmiParty,whichisnowatthecentreofacontroversialleak
    onlackofinternaldemocracy.PHOTO:SHANKERCHAKRAVARTY

    Leakshavebecomearecurrentandcommonphenomenoninourpubliclife,butaretheyallequallyjustified?Should
    weencouragethecultureofleaksalongwiththeprovisothatthesourcenotbedisclosed?Inademocracy,areleaks
    thebestwayofprovidingthatinformation?Canwesaythatallthesespills,fromtheleakedNiraRadiatapesto
    leakedprivateconversationsfromthemeetingsoftheAamAadmiParty,strengthendemocracy?
    Weneedacodeofpublicethics,butbeforewedeclaretransparencyandfulldisclosureassupremegoodsthatmust
    trumpeverythingelse,weneedtorecognisethattherearetwocontrarytendenciesatworkwithinademocracy.On
    theoneside,publicofficialsandpublicinstitutionsarerequiredtochecktheirprivateinterestsatthedoorandactin
    awaythatisneutralandfairtoallontheother,whenthesamepublicofficialsdeliberateonpolicies,invariablytheir
    individualjudgmentsandthroughthattheirpersonalconcerns,experiencesandinterestsenter.Thismeansthat
    theworkingofdemocraticinstitutionsrestsupontwodifferentprinciples,suchthatnormsofpublicethicthatserve
    uswellinthefirstinstancecarrylittleconvictioninthelatter.
    Nodoubtpublicinstitutionsmustbefairandneutralintheirworkinganddecisionstakenatvariouslevelsof
    governancemustbeknownpublicly.Then,righttoinformationisimportantanditmusthaveaplaceindemocracy.
    Indeed,itisavaluableinstrumentforprotectingthebasicrightsofthecitizensandholdingpublicofficialsaswellas
    institutionsaccountable.However,normsthatarenecessaryforensuringaccountabilityarenotequallyimportant
    whenitcomestootherdimensionsofpubliclifeforinstance,whileselectingacandidatetoaparticularpost,or
    deliberatingonelectoralstrategiesofparties,orevendiscussingdifferentpositionsinthecourseofdecisionmaking
    withinaninstitution.
    Givingafairchance
    Inthecaseoffillingapostitisnecessarytofollowestablishedproceduressothatallapplicantshaveafairchanceof
    beingconsideredforthepost,butbeyondthatneithertransparencynorfulldisclosuremaybedesirable.Indeed,it
    maybenecessarytonotdisclosethenamesofthemembersoftheselectionboardtonotsharedetailsofthe
    discussionsofthecommitteeinordertoprotectthefairnessoftheprocess.Ifcandidatesknewjustwhotheselectors
    are,theymaydirectlyorindirectlyseektoinfluencetheirdecisionsimilarly,ifitweretobeknownjustwhodidnot
    favouraparticularcandidate,particularindividualswouldbeleftvulnerable.
    Inthefunctioningofpublicinstitutions,declaringwhosaidwhatinthenameoftransparencyisnotsomethingthat
    mustprevailoverallotherconsiderationsallthetime.Whenitcomestodecisionmaking,andthediscussionsaround
    it,democracyisservedwellwhenindividualshavethepossibilityofexpressingtheirviewswithoutfearorfavour.If
    thisisnotensuredthentheurgetosuccumbtopopularsentimentortheinterestsofthedominantgroupis
    substantiallyincreased,andthisissurelynotgoingtodeepenourdemocracy.
    Besidestherearedifferentkindsofpublicinstitutions:politicalparties,themedia,andgovernmentdepartments.The
    primaryjobofnewspapers,forinstance,istoprovideinformation.Solongastheydonotspreadrumoursordefame
    individualswithoutsubstantialevidence,theycanbeleftfreetoobtainandshareinformation.Butthesameethic
    maynotbewarrantedwhenitcomestoaneducationalinstitution,anintelligenceagencyorapoliticalparty.Evenin
    thecaseofanewspaper,publicethicmayrequireprotectionofawhistleblowerreportersmaynotdisclosethe
    sourceintheinterestofobtainingsuchinformationthatisessentialforsafeguardingtherightsofthecitizensinthe
    http://www.thehindu.com/todayspaper/tpopinion/privateinterestsandpublicethics/article6992134.ece

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    3/14/2015

    PrivateinterestsandpublicethicsTheHindu

    future.However,inreportingdifferentpointsofview,orwhosaidwhat,whenandwhere,itmightindeedbe
    necessaryfornewspaperstorevealtheirsources.Withoutthelatter,theseriousnessandtheveracityoftheaccount
    wouldbeinquestion.Rulesthatwewouldexpecttofollowwhendealingwithwhistleblowerswouldnotapply,orbe
    justified,whenitcomestogivinginformationaboutassertionsandcounterstatements.Weneedtoassessthesame
    normdifferentlyindifferentcontextsnotbecauseconcernedindividualshaveusedormisusedthemtoserveprivate
    purposes(althoughthatissomethingthatcan,ofcourse,happen)butforstructuralreasons.Forwhatisappropriate
    andmostdesirableinonecontextmaynotbesoinanothersphereofpublicandinstitutionallife.Mostofall,ifwe
    believethatthereshouldbefreeexchangeofideasandanenvironmentofunconstraineddebateonpublicaffairs,we
    havetoensurethatindividualsareindeedsomewhatprotectedfromundueexternalpressuresandmanipulations,
    andareabletoexpresstheirviewsfreely.Institutionsandpublicbodiesfunctionwellwhenindividualsarenotmerely
    comfortableairingtheirviewsprivatelyortoathirdpartyoutside,butwhentheycanspeaktheirmindbeforeothers
    intheinstitution.
    Thisis,ofcourse,thehardestofalltasksbecauseitrequiresadegreeoftrustinthefunctioningoftheinstitutionand
    onescolleagues,andmostofall,areadinesstoacceptthatonesargumentsmaynotwintheday.Democraciesare
    deepenedwhenparticipantsarewillingtotaketheriskoflosinganargument.Thechallenge,however,isthatstrong
    beliefinthevalidityandthetruthsofonespositioncompelapersontoactinjusttheoppositeway.Afterall,ifI
    believethatmypositionisthecorrectone,orthatitembodiesthetruth,thenImustacttoensurethattheright
    decisionistaken.Sincethisisanunavoidabledilemmathatconfrontsusallthetime,acertaindegreeofscepticism
    andselfdoubtisanindispensableingredientfordemocraticfunctioning.Inotonlyneedtorespectothers(colleagues
    andinterlocutors)butrecognisethatIdonotpossessthetruth.Perhapsthisisthemostimportantconditionof
    democraticlifebutwehardlyeverconsideritseriously,letalonevalueitasavirtueinpubliclife.
    (GurpreetMahajanisProfessor,CentreforPoliticalStudies,JawaharlalNehruUniversity.)
    Inthefunctioningofpublicinstitutions,declaringwhosaidwhat,inthenameoftransparency,is
    notsomethingthatmustprevailoverallotherconsiderationsallthetime

    http://www.thehindu.com/todayspaper/tpopinion/privateinterestsandpublicethics/article6992134.ece

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