From Darkness to Duty: A Thought Experiment on Ethics and Power

A philosopher thinking

of how knowledge (light) and reflection (mirror)

lead to better leadership.

"Bigotry is the sacred disease,

and self-conceit tells lies"

Heraclitus

Let us continue exploring an interesting concept: a hypothetical clan that harbored a group of corrupt actors who used their official positions to enrich themselves and spread hate. The clan based courts failed to protect, correct or uphold the essential purpose of law. This story is by its nature theoretical—a philosophical thought experiment meant to examine what a complete breakdown of justice might look like. In this scenario, corruption and hate were shielded for years within a clan-controlled court, leaving numerous victims without protection (...even worse the perpetrators would even mock the victims after horrendous acts.). Those above also became aware but were also unsure if they had responsibilities to society so they took the mantra "quick to harm and slow to correct".

In this example, a group of corrupted officials targeted children, allegedly sexually assaulted underage women, caused lasting harm to the community, used threats,  concerns over illicit gain off illegal activities, followed people home, placed whistleblowers on secretive watch lists, blocked investigations into misconduct, manipulated the sick and elderly for money, and operated without any meaningful oversight by the clan court. People who stood up were bullied into silence and leaving allowing the misbehaviors to continue. The basic assumptions that underpin healthy economic and social life simply did not exist in this learning scenario.

There were no functioning checks and balances at the times and places they were needed most. The damage the clan court allowed could never be justified under any moral framework, unless one had fallen deeply into ideological extremism and group nepotism. Stories like this are exploratory by nature—by examining the worst possibilities, we gain new perspectives and potential solutions where these demons may linger. 

This scenario is not tied to any political or social camp. It could apply to any people, anywhere, at any time. Corruption and hate have been with humankind since we first began coordinating our social and economic lives in early hunting-and-gathering societies. Philosophers and religious writers have warned us about these tendencies throughout history. Some leaders have learned from these lessons and codified liberties and freedoms into their founding principles—wise choices that protect universal values we should continue treating as sacrosanct. Some people undermine that intentionally.

Where darkness and disregard for inherited moral wisdom become the unwritten rule in certain circles, there is often still a silver lining. Squint your eyes just a little and you can see good that can come from recognizing and correcting the bad. Make sure your leaders are aware of their greater responsibilities or replace them with better people through voting. A touch of insight and reflection can lead to profound knowledge. In this story, it was not the clan-aligned members who upheld their oaths, but rather other officials and citizens who recognized right from wrong and understood their duty to a higher moral order and conscience. They stayed loyal to the people and to themselves.

Ultimately, this story is a positive one. It reminds us of our shared values and the dangers of allowing corruption and hate to run unchecked. And because every good story deserves a hopeful ending, the officials eventually corrected course, addressed the harm done to victims, recommitted themselves to justice, and put safeguards in place to ensure such abuses never ever ever happen again (Once one is aware continued negligence should be seen as willful. More victims would open more questions on commitments.). It was those who stood for their professed oaths and showed that good can overcome wrong. The seeds of good judgement and moral commitment found fertile soil and blossomed into new opportunities that would not have happened otherwise. Silver linings come in many forms.

The piece below discusses the challenges developing nations face with corruption in their courts. One can easily imagine how public trust declines when corruption becomes rampant. People should not feel higher or lower than others nor should they feel there are different laws and rules because they are all bound by the same. There may be many competing truths in any society, but one stands firm: the intent to cause unjust harm has no legitimacy under any interpretation of the law or its underlining moral precept. Integrity builds trust—manipulation destroys it.

Judicial Corruption in Developing Countries: Its Causes and Economic Consequences