SUMMARY

 

·        Moral Dilemma: a situation where an individual must choose between two courses of action, both of which it would be wrong for him to undertake.

ü      Thomas Nagel: it can happen, and disaster may result

ü      R.B. Brandt: it cannot happen if handled properly

ü      R.M. Hare: the conflict of morality exists within one’s own self, but the exterior dilemma is not real

 

·        Dilemma often appears as the problem of “dirty hands”

·        “I have dirty hands right up to the elbows.  I’ve plunged them in filth and blood.  Do you think you can govern innocently?” – Hoerderer

·        In utilitarian terms, the ‘right’ thing to do is what is best for the people, moral or not

·        On the absolutist side, the politician remains ‘innocent’, but may not live up to the duties of his office

·        The notion of “dirty hands” derives from an effort to refuse absolutism without denying the reality of the moral dilemma

·        Politicians are perceived as more “morally corrupt” than most of us for 3 reasons:

ü      They act on our behalf

à Success for us = success for them, yet they are often accused of being corrupt if their success if too great

à If they do not hustle and lie to become successful, many others wait to take their place, who are more than willing to do whatever it takes to achieve success

ü      They rule over us

à The pleasures of ruling are greater than the pleasures of being ruled

à Successful politician will become our “architect of restraint” – tax us, license us, forbid us, permit us and direct us, all for the greater good

à It becomes necessary to take risks which endanger others, in order to reap the rewards of success

à Naturally, we are afraid of the power politicians wield – even jealous

ü      They use violence

à Victorious politician uses violence or threat of violence – not only against exterior threats, but also against his own people, ostensibly for the greater good

à Nonetheless, the “stock figure” is the lying politician, not the murderous one

à The weight of violence in our history shows the impact power can have on any man

 

·        Machiavelli

ü      Individuals entering politics must learn “how not to be good”

ü      The cleverest men succeed, not the ‘most good’

ü      Perhaps it is ‘right’ to succeed, and ‘wrong’ to follow morals and fail

ü      Doing the ‘right’ thing, morally speaking, is often the wrong choice

 

 

 

·        Politicians argue that they don’t have the right to keep their hands clean if they are to fulfill their duties of office

·        However, the general public can keep theirs clean, as they don’t have the same duties

·        If a politician is not willing to get his “hands dirty”, it is used as a disparagement

 

·        Example 1:

ü      A politician wants to do good only by ‘being good’

ü      Politician is proposed a deal by a very dishonest ward boss

ü      He must accept the deal because it is in the best interest of the people he has been elected to serve

ü      He is still considered a good man, because the people know of his scruples with the issue, and know he only did it to serve the greater good

ü      As long as he is willing to repent and do penance for his actions, he is still seen as a ‘good’ man in the public eye – ex. Bill Clinton

ü       Most individuals are blasé about political dealings

 

·        Example 2:

ü      A politician comes to power during a prolonged colonial war

ü      They are committed to bringing peace, and steadfastly oppose the war

ü      However, the war does exist, and action must be brought to stop it

ü      A rebel is caught, and he knows the location of bombs which will explode in 24 hours, killing hundreds: only way to extract information is torture

ü      Even though the politician believes that torture is abominable, he commits the act for the greater good

 

·        St. Augustine’s melancholy soldier: understands that killing, even in a just war, is a terrible thing: nonetheless, it must be done

·        Guilt is heartfelt, but the killing is still necessary

·        “The ends justify the means”

 

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 

1) Can democracy work with dirty hands?

 

2) Do moral dilemmas exist?

 

3) Is it truly possible to ‘govern innocently’?

 

4) If the ends justify the means, is it acceptable to commit a moral injustice?

 

5) Whose choice is it to decide which path to take: the people, or their elected representative?

 

6) Do you believe a politician without dirty hands is dangerous, or is it the other way around?

 

7) Why is it when we say that a politician “isn’t willing to get his hands dirty”, it’s meant in a derogatory sense?

 

8) If an official refuses to get his hands dirty to avoid a looming disaster, has he failed his public duty?

 

9) Is jealousy a factor in our opinions of the decisions faced by those who govern over us?

 

10) If a ‘good’ man commits a moral sin, but repents and does penance for it, should he be forgiven?

 

11) Can a ‘good’ man even survive in today’s cutthroat political world?

 

12) Can doing what is ‘right’ ever be the wrong decision?

 

GLOSSARY

 

Absolutism - A form of government in which all power is vested in a single ruler or other authority.  “Absolute power”.

 

“Architect of restraint” – Since people often cannot place reasonable limits on themselves, a good politician will “build” those restraints for them, hence the derivation of the word “architect”.

 

Blasé – Unconcerned and nonchalant about an issue, namely, politics, because of frequent exposure.

 

Colonial war – a war fought over land possessions, principally during the days of imperialism in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th century.

 

“Dirty Hands”– The act of having to commit a moral injustice in order to help fulfill the greater good.

 

Disparagement – disgrace, dishonour; a derogatory term.

 

Hoerderer – A communist leader in one of Sartre’s plays.

 

Machiavelli – 16th century Italian philosopher, coined the phrase “the ends justify the means”.  Believed politics should not be governed by morals, but by what is in the best interest of the people.

 

Melancholy – Sadness or depression of spirit: meaning exteriorly an individual may seem incredibly confident, but inside they’re soul is being eaten away at.

 

Moral dilemma – A situation where an individual is left with two choices, both of which are “wrong”: one in its action, the other in its result.

 

Ostensibly – Apparently.

 

Penance - An act of self-mortification or devotion performed voluntarily to show sorrow for a sin or other wrongdoing.

 

Repent - To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins. 

 

Sartre, Jean Paul – A French writer in the mid-20th century, was offered the Nobel Prize for literature in 1957 but declined it.

 

Scruples - An uneasy feeling arising from conscience or principle that tends to hinder action.  For instance, a politician may have scruples about committing an immoral act, but he still must do it for the greater good.

 

St. Augustine – Saint known as the “Apostle of the English” – introduced Christianity to southern Britain and in 598 was ordained as the first archbishop of Canterbury.

 

Steadfastly – Unchanging; steady.

 

Stock figure – The figure that is instantly placed into the minds of individual when they think of a specific group of people; in this case, politicians.

 

“To repent and do penance for” – To make a change as a result of a morally unjust decision made, and to show the public that you are very sorry about your actions, yet still let them understand the motives behind them.

 

Utilitarian – A political view focused on practicality, not morality.  “What is a utilitarian? Simply one who prefers the useful to the useless; and who does not?” - Sir W. Hamilton.