The Moral Responsibilities
of Policy Professionals
Mark Carl Rom
Professional Ethics
The ethics of:> Individual responsibility (i.e., the problems
of ‘many hands’)> Administrative discretion> Policy advising
Mark Carl Rom
Professional Ethics
Two main possibilities for reform:> Improve individual ethics
• Inculcate ethical values through training
> Improve ethical systems• Create standards that support and enforce
ethical decisions
Mark Carl Rom
Moral Responsibility of Public Officials (Thompson)
What is the problem of many hands?> Collective responsibility> Hierarchical responsibility
When do individuals bear responsibility?> Your actions or omissions cause the outcome> Your actions/omissions are not done through
compulsions or ignorance Question: Did McNamara fulfill his collective
and hierarchical responsibilities?
Mark Carl Rom
The Ethics of Discretion (Warwick) Question: How should you make decisions
given administrative discretion?> Public orientation> Reflective choice> Veracity> Procedural respect> Restraint on means
Question: What is the ‘public good’ Question: Did McNamara use administrative
discretion wisely?
Mark Carl Rom
Ethics of Administrative Discretion (Thompson)
Ethics of neutrality> Administrators should follow principles of
organization, not their own principles?• No: Exit, loyalty, voice or resistance
Ethics of structure> Organization, not administrators, should be
responsible for policies?• No: Moral culpability of individuals
Did McNamara follow the ethics of neutrality and structure?
Mark Carl Rom
The Moral Responsibility of Policy Advisors (McPherson)
What obligations do advisors have?> To serve superiors honestly> To promote better policies> To respect and improve democratic processes
Question: Did McNamara fulfill his moral responsibilities as an advisor?
Mark Carl Rom
Ethical Responsibilities: Conclusions
Should we work to improve> Individuals?> Systems?> Both? If so, which one deserves our highest
priority? Note…ethical perfection is not possible…
but progress towards it is.