In a recent interview, a member of the U.S. House said he thinks President Trump has not led a very moral life, but morality is not what makes someone a good leader. He continued by saying he supports the president because he agrees with his policies. These statements reflect a misunderstanding of American democracy.
Without ethics, democracy cannot survive. At its core, democracy is an ethical concept and an ethical way to govern because it is built on a foundation of individual rights, political equality, a fair governing process and justice. Democracy is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people, which means the process by which we adopt policy is as important as the policy we adopt. When our leaders engage in behavior that undermines democratic principles, our democracy is compromised.
Principled leadership is at the core of American democracy.
While morals and ethics are not identical concepts, integrity is central to both moral and ethical leadership. Government ethics is based on the obligation we all have to uphold individual rights; to recognize the costs and benefits of a specific public policy; and to ensure fairness in both the process and the outcome. These all require integrity and openness in the governing process.
From our very beginning as a nation, we have placed high value on economic security and homeland security, but we have also believed in and aspired to something even greater. Our mission is twofold. We must do things right and do the right things.
The character of our citizenry and the character of our leadership determine how strong we are as a nation. The word “character” is derived from a Greek word that denotes a marking or imprint on a coin. Coins are a form of currency, and different markings reflect different monetary values. Just as a coin’s imprint reflects its value in the marketplace, a person’s imprint on society determines the value he or she adds to, or subtracts from, our world.
In this great experiment we call the United States of America, ethics are central to preserving and protecting our nation. Unethical leaders, and even unethical citizens, who put their own interests above the interests of our nation weaken our democracy. To be our strongest, we must all aspire to live our lives with high character.
The Josephson Institute of Ethics identifies six pillars of character that are widely accepted within and across cultures around the world. They are: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and good citizenship. All are integral to democracy.
Trustworthiness is essential to democracy because integrity not only leads us to workable solutions to our challenges, it builds the trust that is necessary for us to work together to find those solutions. Our leaders must be honest with us, and we must be honest with ourselves. We must respect one another and rights that are given to all of us because democracy exists only to the extent that we uphold and protect the principle of political equality. Democracy is not about getting our own way. It is about working together to collectively find our way.
We also have the responsibility to be engaged in the governing process, and that means we must also put forth the effort to be informed about policy and leadership. Uninformed voters are a real threat to democracy. And if our government is not run using a fair process, then we are not being democratic. We must ensure our leaders do not make decisions based on their own personal interests, rather than the public’s office.
If we do not care about our fellow citizens, we are violating the basic democratic principle of democracy that recognizes that everyone has rights and a voice. Our country exists to serve us all, not just a select few. Finally, if we are not good citizens, we become a weak link that diminishes us as a society.
Could it be more clear that ethics are integral to democracy? Supporting candidates and public officials because we like their policy positions is only half the equation. We must also hold ourselves and public officials to ethical standards that preserve and protect democracy. We must protect the character of American democracy, because anything less threatens this great nation we call the United States of America.
Jill Long Thompson is a college professor, a former member of Congress, former under secretary at USDA, and former board chair and CEO at the Farm Credit Administration. She is the author of “The Character of American Democracy,” published by Indiana University Press. Send comments to [email protected].
