Ethics in Public Life

3.1 Why Public Life Demands Higher Ethical Standards

Public life — the life of those who exercise power over others on behalf of the state — demands higher and broader ethical standards than private life for several reasons:

1. Fiduciary Relationship: Public servants are trustees of citizens' resources (tax money, natural resources, authority). Trustees bear stricter obligations than private actors.

2. Power Asymmetry: A corrupt private actor may harm only those who voluntarily deal with her/him. A corrupt public administrator can harm thousands of citizens who have no choice but to deal with the government.

3. Rule-Setting Role: Public administrators' conduct sets the normative standard for society — when officials are corrupt, they normalise corruption; when honest, they raise the social standard.

4. Public Trust as a Resource: Governments function only because citizens trust and comply with them. Corruption erodes this trust, ultimately undermining the state's capacity to function — it is a self-destructive act.

5. Constitutional Oath: By swearing an oath to the Constitution, civil servants enter a public commitment that generates obligations private individuals do not bear.

3.2 Nolan's Seven Principles of Public Life (1995)

The Committee on Standards in Public Life (UK, chaired by Lord Nolan) articulated seven principles in 1995 that have become globally recognised standards for public officials:

Principle	Definition	Administrative Expression
1. Selflessness	Act in the public interest, not for personal benefit	No personally motivated decisions; public welfare first
2. Integrity	No outside financial obligations compromising duty	Reject bribes, gifts, favours from those in dealings with you
3. Objectivity	Decisions on merit, with impartial, objective advice	Merit-based appointments, contracts, service delivery
4. Accountability	Answer to the public and its representatives; submit to scrutiny	Support RTI, CAG audit, parliamentary oversight
5. Openness	Transparent decisions; maximum information disclosure	File notings available; policy reasoning published
6. Honesty	No deception of employers, public, or Parliament/Assembly	Truthful reports, honest advice to ministers
7. Leadership	Uphold these principles by personal example	Lead by demonstrating integrity, not by preaching it

India's regulatory parallel — AIS (Conduct) Rules 1968:

• No participation in politics or canvassing for candidates
• No acceptance of gifts beyond specified value limits
• Declaration of assets and liabilities (annual)
• No private employment outside government without permission
• No criticism of government policy in public
• No participation in or support for demonstrations against government

3.3 Ethical Foundations of Public Service (2nd ARC, 2007)

The Second Administrative Reforms Commission's Report on Ethics in Governance (2007) identified core civil service values:

1. Integrity — wholeness of character
2. Impartiality — equitable treatment of all citizens
3. Commitment to public service — genuine motivation to serve
4. Excellence — continuous quality improvement
5. Empathy — understanding citizen perspective

The 2nd ARC also recommended a Civil Services Code — a statutory statement of values — which has been partially implemented through administrative guidelines even without formal legislation.

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