The basic principles of public life, often referred to as the Nolan Principles, serve as a foundational framework for individuals in public service. These principles, namely selflessness, integrity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership, are essential for maintaining public trust and ensuring the ethical conduct of those entrusted with public responsibilities. Selflessness emphasizes acting in the best interest of the public rather than personal gain. Integrity involves upholding moral and ethical standards, even when faced with challenges. Accountability requires individuals to answer for their actions and decisions. To illustrate, consider a government official who prioritizes community well-being over personal gain, a leader who maintains transparency in decision-making processes, and an individual in public service who takes responsibility for their actions, showcasing the practical application of these principles in fostering a trustworthy and ethical public environment. These principles collectively contribute to the foundation of a just and responsible governance system.
Tag: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; Ethics – in private and public relationships.
Decoding the Question:
- In the Introduction, try to elaborate on the meaning of public life.
- In Body, discuss a few basic principles of public life with examples.
- Conclude, with an opinion.
Answer:
The fundamental principle in a democracy is that all persons holding authority derive it from the people; in other words, all public functionaries are trustees of the people. With the expansion of the role of government, public functionaries exercise considerable influence over the lives of people. Citizens in public life should be bound together neither by feelings nor by self-interest but by a sincere commitment to common values discovered by public reason — values such as political freedom, solidarity, shared traditions, and cultural heritage.
One of the most comprehensive statements of what constitutes principles of public life came from the Nolan Committee, which outlined the following seven principles of public life: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, and Leadership.
- Selflessness: It is characterized by low levels of self-centeredness and a low degree of importance given to the self. Holders of public office should make decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. Eg: A municipal representative should not hesitate to get rid of any illegal religious structure if it is creating inconvenience to the public. Securing votes by not taking any action will only make the representative a selfish personality.
- Honesty: Holders of public office must declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take remedial steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest. Eg: A public official is approached by a shady builder, who promises to give a large amount of money if he is permitted to construct an unnecessary footpath. Honest representatives will not give any heed to such offers. Ashok Khemka is an IAS officer who has been transferred about 50 times in his career due to his honesty toward service.
- Responsibility: A public official is expected to be responsible for the task assigned and take the initiative to fight for the rights of citizens. Also, he/she is expected to show exemplary leadership qualities to tackle any sort of crisis. Eg: Public representatives should lead a campaign to create awareness among the people regarding the importance of maintaining cleanliness. This initiative can be successful only if it has a suitable person who takes responsibility to carry it out.
- Integrity: It refers to honesty or trustworthiness in the discharge of official duties. All the holders of public office should not place themselves under any obligation, financial or otherwise, to outside individuals/organizations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.
- Transparency: For the proper functioning of the administrative machinery the process must be transparent, barring the conditions of the nation’s security where secrecy is required, so that all the stakeholders have confidence and trust in the system.
- Objectivity: In public service, including making government appointments, awarding contracts, or referring individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make selections on merit.
- Accountability: Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.Eg: Vikram Sarabhai accepted the failure of ISRO’s first mission without actually putting it on the mission head (APJ Abdul Kalam). Thus taking full accountability for the failure of his team.
When people opt for a public life, they must follow ethics distinct from private morality. The principles must be allowed to develop in those associated with public life through proper training and guidance. Thus, we can observe the importance of certain qualities that can make a difference in the lives of individuals in society, if implemented properly. Therefore any person who is privileged to guide the destiny of the people must not only be ethical but must be seen to practice these principles of public life.
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