An influential politician, a third-time MP, was known in his State for his infrastructure development works, especially roads and irrigation canals. Acknowledging his developmental work and goodwill, the Party appointed him the State Party President. Since his Party is also the ruling Party in the State, the MP has started working closely with the Chief Minister. After six months of becoming the Party President, the MP learned that a sizable amount of development funds were diverted to party promotional activities. Further, a few mega-development projects were allocated to the relatives of the CM and a few of his close ministers. The MP was neither impressed nor happy with how the State government managed development funds because the Party had won the last elections promising development and clean administration. There was a lot of financial corruption in the State ministries; some of the ministers used the State machinery for personal purposes. He knew if the Party continued to function the way it is now, it would be an electoral disaster in the next elections. The MP was a politician with a conscience. His dilemma was that, as a Party President, he had to ensure his Party won the next elections. To do that, he had to clean up the State administration, which meant locking horns with the CM, an extremely powerful figure well-supported by the Party's senior members. And importantly, the MP was unwilling to risk his political career, which he had built after years of hard work. 1. What do you think are the issues involved in the above case? 2. What options are available to the MP in the above case? 3. Evaluate the options and suggest a course of action to the MP. 4. Distinguish between political and bureaucratic corruption. Can bureaucracy play a role in checking political corruption?
Introduction
The above case is one of the seven sins given by Gandhiji i.e. 'Politics without principle'
16 words
Main Body
The above case is one of the seven sins given by Gandhiji i.e. 'Politics without principle'
Option 1: Prioritize electoral win for next election & his political career over public welfare
Option 2: Resign from political party which goes against his core values
Option 3: Call for Intra-party meeting and decide on measures to curb corruption with positive actions taken against ones involved
Merits:
i) No damage to party in next election & smooth political career growth
ii) Fulfillment of his duty as party president in making his party win
Demerits:
i) Crisis of conscience & suffering from guilt
ii) Long term damage to party
Option 2
Merits:
i) Maintain concordance between his internal value system & external career
ii) Free from crisis of conscience
Demerits:
i) The party might go ahead with both corruption & winning the election
ii) Jeopardize his career growth
Option 3
Merits:
i) Reestablish the moral values & ethical principles inside the party
ii) Long term - good image creation for his party
Demerits:
i) Short term electoral loss
ii) Might not get adequate support from party & its members
Course of action for MP
Diagram
Bar chart showing stakeholders and their stake: State development, Clean administration, Not financial corruption, Electoral gains - across axis labeled State, Governance, MP & State party president, Political party
- Effective use of Gandhi's seven social sins concept
- Stakeholder diagram analysis
Sachin
Ethics Case Study
Political corruption
Politics without principle - Gandhi's seven sins
359
Total words
5
Paragraphs
analytical
Tone