DR Mohd Farid Mohd Shahran of Ikim in “When the world of politics is devoid of ethics” (
The Star Jan 22 - See the attachment) believes there is still room for ethics in politics.
In the real world, especially in developing countries, the ethics of Plato and al-Farabi are only good for an utopian society.
While man is not born power crazy, those who enter politics are goaded by power to resort to unethical means.
Morality is hard to preserve and practise in politics.
English philosopher Francis Bacon said: “It is hard and severe a thing to be a true politician as to be truly moral.”
Unethical behaviour seems to be the order of the day as the general election looms near.
Almost
everyday we read of mudslinging on both sides of the fence. Everything
under the sun is being politicised as the stakes are very high.
French
philosopher Voltaire remarked: “The pleasure of governing must
certainly be exquisite if we may judge from the vast numbers who are
eager to be concerned with it.”
Had Voltaire been alive today, he
would qualify his statement by saying, “It is not so much the pleasure
of governing, but the power that comes with it, making the vast numbers
who are eager to be concerned with it.”
As Dr Farid said:
“Politics, in its true meaning, is praiseworthy”. But the “realpolitik”
meaning is different. Mao Zedong once said: “Power comes from the barrel
of the gun”.
Jonathan Swift said: “Politics as the word is understood, is nothing but corruption.”
Despite
the negative connotation of politics in its general form, politics as a
profession can have high ethical values if the very system in which
politics arise have strong values as seen in most developed countries.
Singapore
is a shining example where the ruling party has great difficulty
finding candidates to stand for elections as the people do not see it as
a way to become rich overnight.
Singaporean politicians are known to observe and practice the highest ethical principles as espoused by Plato.
The
observance of ethical political principles in Malaysia still has a long
way to go as noted by Dr Farid where “small issues can potentially be
magnified into a big scandal.”
“The various issues raised by
political parties range from major ones such as fair economic
distribution and political justice, to the most trivial or personal
matters such as the way leaders and their family members dress”.
So
far, general elections in Malaysia, unlike in some developing
countries, have not resulted in the use of heavy weapons to gun down
people.
And when the election results are announced, people
accept it in good faith and continue with their daily chores while
waiting for the next general election. Meanwhile, they hope the party
that won will honour its manifesto.
One of America’s founding
father’s Thomas Jefferson said: “I have no ambition to govern men. It is
a painful and thankless office.” Thomas Jefferson was a man of high
ethical values.
Do we have men like Jefferson in Malaysian politics?
Certainly
there are many men and they should be given the task of providing true
leadership along the political principles of Plato and al-Farabi.
By HASSAN TALIB
When the world of politics is devoid of ethics
Much too often, personalities are the biggest casualties as they
are ruthlessly tarnished. All the dirt and grime is dug out and paraded
for the nation to see despite their many prior good contributions.
WITH the general election around the corner, the heat of the Malaysian political climate is gradually increasing.
The number of political gatherings,
ceramah and demonstrations by political parties multiply by the day and continue to increase.
The
various issues raised by political parties range from major ones such
as fair economic distribution and political justice, to the most trivial
or personal matters such as the way leaders and their family members
dress.
It looks as if Malaysians have become a very conscious lot
concerned over everything overnight. Small issues can potentially be
magnified into a big scandal.
Not only is the intensity palpable within
ceramah
and gatherings, a similar tone is also evident in cyberspace where
heated debates and exchange of views have overwhelmed the social media
such as blogs, Facebook and Twitter.
While such a phenomenon is regarded as normal, the negative culture attached to it is best eschewed.
To
render support for one’s own party, some leaders and fanatical
followers would resort to unethical means such as making false claims
and unfounded allegations that include character assassination.
In
response to such accusations, the opposing parties will stage similar
counter attacks. As a result, emotions simply overrule reason causing
the situation to get out of hand.
Understandably, the principle
that guides extreme political groups is that politics is a war in which
all kinds of weapons must be deployed to exterminate the enemies.
In engaging power politics, the prince, says Machiavelli, must be “adaptable and know how to do wrong when he must”.
Naturally, such an approach will have a more divisive impact on society.
People become more divided and emotions override everything else, particularly level-headedness.
Much
too often, personalities are the biggest casualties as they are
ruthlessly tarnished. All the dirt and grime is dug out and paraded for
the nation to see despite their many prior good contributions.
Thus,
questions remain: Is this the way politics serve its purpose in
administering human life? Must society undergo this unhealthy process to
elect a leader? Must we necessarily be divisive before arriving at
political maturity when the amount of damage done is irreparable?
The answer lies in how the meaning of politics should be properly understood.
More importantly is the understanding of the role of ethics in political activities.
Politics, in its true meaning, is praiseworthy.
Philosophers
and political thinkers as early as Plato, through his idea of the
“Philosopher King”, had proposed a political system where wisdom and
virtues must be the bases of governing states.
Although his idea
is also criticised as utopian, the principle that Plato tried to put
forward is very important, that is, a true political system must be
guided by knowledge and virtue reflected primarily in the character of
the leaders and politicians.
In other words, ethics, according to Plato, must be the basis of politics.
Just
as men must live virtuous and good lives, a state must also be built on
strong ethical ground. If the state is unfavourable, says Plato, the
individual citizens would find themselves unable to lead a good life as
it should be lived.
This organic relationship between ethics and
politics from Plato stemmed from his idea that a state must be a
microcosmic reflection of man. Since a state is run by humans who need
to be furnished with good ethical virtues for him to be good, a good
state must also be refined with virtuous characteristics.
Echoing Plato is al-Farabi, a celebrated thinker from the Muslim tradition whose work,
The Opinions of Inhabitants of the Virtuous City, underlines that a state should be properly ruled by virtuous leaders and followed by virtuous people.
“The
excellent city resembles the perfect and healthy body where all of
whose limbs co-operate to make the life of the animal perfect and to
preserve it in this state.”
Among the qualities needed by a
ruler, according to al-Farabi, are intelligence, good memory, keenness
of mind, love of knowledge, moderation in matters of food, drink and
sex, love of truthfulness, magnanimity, frugality, love of justice,
firmness and courage.
Arguably for some, real politics can never take ethics as its principle.
Such a view is justified if only man is naturally born with the attribute of being power crazed.
However,
this has not been so since man was created by God in the best of mould
as affirmed in the Quran: “Verily we have created the human being in the
best of form.”
Furthermore, mankind can take pride in some of
its leaders and rulers with good qualities and virtuous characteristics
decorating its history. In Islam, for example, Prophet Muhammad and the
four-guided caliphs continue to be revered as leaders par excellence for
all Muslims. Another outstanding and exemplary leader at a later period
was Umar Abd Aziz whose short rule, nevertheless, left a tremendous
impact.
So rigid was Umar’s standard of ethics that he was said
to have even refused to use up the candle in his office to light the
room when discussing personal matters.
In sum, while we all can
agree and understand Einstein when he said, “Politics is more difficult
than physics”, we hope that, just as physics has contributed immensely
to benefit the life of the human kind, politics would be able to do
likewise.
BY DR MOHD FARID MOHD SHAHRAN, SENIOR FELLOW CENTRE OF ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
IKIM VIEWS - The Star Jan 22, 2012
Related post:
The cause of unethical activities
On Ethics and Politics :
Is man not capable of love if he embraced the morality of
self-interest? Only the man who loves himself and who knows his values
is capable of loving others, albeit not indiscriminately.
