Ethics And Politics—Cases And Comments

A casebook that helps students recognize and assess the strengths and weaknesses of moral arguments in the making of public policy, ETHICS AND POLITICS: CASES AND COMMENTS is a special book for a unique course in the political science curriculum. Meant to be used in conjunction with other readings on political theory or moral philosophy, part one considers the ethics of process: the morally questionable means--violence, deception, and corruption--that are most commonly used by public officials. Part two discusses the ethics of policy: the valuable but often competing ends that public officials strive to achieve. Conflicting values, scarce resources, and stakes as high as life and death combine with the duties of public office to make choices among policy goals controversial and morally difficult. In both parts, each ethical issue is paired with case studies in contemporary American politics. For example, the controversy over the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay; or issues during the campaign and election of 2004.