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Political Ethics: A Handbook
A comprehensive introduction to contemporary political ethics
What is the relationship between politics and morality? May politicians bend moral constraints in the name of political necessity? Is it always wrong for leaders to lie? How much political compromise is too much (or too little)? In Political Ethics , some of the world’s leading thinkers in politics, philosophy, and related fields offer a comprehensive and accessible introduction to key issues in this rapidly growing area of political theory.
In a series of original essays, the contributors examine a range of urgent political lies and deception, compromise and refusal to compromise, the meaning and limits of political integrity, representation and failures of representation, good and bad democratic leadership, the virtues and excesses of partisanship, administrative ethics, political corruption, whistleblowing, legitimate and illegitimate claims of political emergency, and lobbying. What emerges are realistic but demanding ethical standards―and a clear-eyed understanding of the ethical challenges of political life in the twenty-first century.
With contributions by Richard Bellamy, Alin Fumurescu, Edward Hall, Suzanne Dovi and Jesse McCain, Eric Beerbohm, Russell Muirhead and Nancy Rosenblum, Joseph Heath, Elizabeth David-Barrett and Mark Philp, Michele Bocchiola and Emanuela Ceva, Nomi Lazar, Phil Parvin, and Andrew Sabl.
What is the relationship between politics and morality? May politicians bend moral constraints in the name of political necessity? Is it always wrong for leaders to lie? How much political compromise is too much (or too little)? In Political Ethics , some of the world’s leading thinkers in politics, philosophy, and related fields offer a comprehensive and accessible introduction to key issues in this rapidly growing area of political theory.
In a series of original essays, the contributors examine a range of urgent political lies and deception, compromise and refusal to compromise, the meaning and limits of political integrity, representation and failures of representation, good and bad democratic leadership, the virtues and excesses of partisanship, administrative ethics, political corruption, whistleblowing, legitimate and illegitimate claims of political emergency, and lobbying. What emerges are realistic but demanding ethical standards―and a clear-eyed understanding of the ethical challenges of political life in the twenty-first century.
With contributions by Richard Bellamy, Alin Fumurescu, Edward Hall, Suzanne Dovi and Jesse McCain, Eric Beerbohm, Russell Muirhead and Nancy Rosenblum, Joseph Heath, Elizabeth David-Barrett and Mark Philp, Michele Bocchiola and Emanuela Ceva, Nomi Lazar, Phil Parvin, and Andrew Sabl.
304 pages, Paperback
Published September 13, 2022
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March 31, 2023
Twenty-odd years into my legal career, I'm giving myself a DIY course in ethics for politicians, and this was my first pick for a treatise. I found it pretty dry and intellectual, much like those philosophy texts with which I struggled in college. Structured as a collection of topical chapters written by political science professors in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K., the common theme was a blistering attack on the damage done to the ideals of democracy by the "populist" leaders like Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President Donald Trump.
Several of the chapters were more interesting than the average, such as the discussion of when utilitarianism outweighs rules-based decisionmaking, and what it takes to represent a diverse population with consistency. Perhaps the most convincing chapter was Richard Bellamy's discussion of why political lies are at times necessary and appropriate.
I can see where this book would make for a decent curriculum for a discussion-based seminar in a small group. Without others to discuss the basics, though, I sense that the biases I brought into the text will create an echo chamber.
Several of the chapters were more interesting than the average, such as the discussion of when utilitarianism outweighs rules-based decisionmaking, and what it takes to represent a diverse population with consistency. Perhaps the most convincing chapter was Richard Bellamy's discussion of why political lies are at times necessary and appropriate.
I can see where this book would make for a decent curriculum for a discussion-based seminar in a small group. Without others to discuss the basics, though, I sense that the biases I brought into the text will create an echo chamber.
Displaying 1 of 1 review