Posted: October 19th, 2016

Was Machiavelli right in arguing that the requirements of a moral life and of political life are incompatible?

Ethics and Public Administration
Write an essay of 2250 words in length:
For this essay you can choose to answer any of the following twelve questions.
1. Show a theory or theories of ethics can illuminate a particular issue within the field of public sector management.
2. Was Machiavelli right in arguing that the requirements of a moral life and of political life are incompatible?
3. Is there a conflict between the new public management and ethics?
4. To whom should public servants be primarily accountable? (you may use a case study to illustrate your answer)
5. Should we expect politicians to be completely truthful?
6. Evaluate the pros and cons of the different methods of improving ethics in the public sector. Which methods do you think hold the most promise?
7. Is there a conflict between the requirements of organizational life as it is experienced by managers and those of morality, as Robert Jackall maintains?
8. Use Jonathan Haidt’s moral foundations theory to analyse an ethical issue within public policy or management.
9. Mary Douglas argues that there are four cultures and four moralities. Examine a controversy in public policy or management and identify how the protagonists who are involved exemplify these different cultures/moralities.
10. Use Alan Fiske’s relational models theory to analyse a policy or management issue.
11. Which theory of ethics should public sector managers subscribe to: deontology, utilitarianism or virtue ethics? Justify your choice.