1st Edition
Responsible Governance: A Case Study Approach A Case Study Approach
By Steven G. Koven
Copyright 2008
269 Pages
by
Routledge
216 Pages
by
Routledge
269 Pages
by
Routledge
Also available as eBook on:
This book is designed to show readers how ethics can constrain improper behavior. To demonstrate the relationship of ethics to good government, the author presents high profile case studies that were selected for their notoriety and their ability to connect the reader to fundamental ethical questions. Themes of public interest, natural law, and rule of law provide a framework for the case studies, which include torture (Abu Ghraib), impeachment (Clinton), competence (FEMA), electoral violation (DeLay), and historical corruption (machine politics). The chapters discuss concepts that help to define responsible behavior in terms of behavior in elections, honesty and competence, and international law.
Dedication; Preface; 1. Introduction; Introduction; Concept of Responsible Governance; Context of American Governance; Ethics, Responsibility and Governance; Focus of Book; 2. Foundations of Responsible Governance; Introduction; The Ideal of Public Interest; The Ideal of Natural Law; The Ideal of Rule of Law; 3. Influence of Money on Elections; Introduction; Elections and Money in Historical Perspective; Attempts to Limit the Impact of Money on Elections; Implications of Money on Democracy; Conclusions; Case 3.1. Machine Politics; Case 3.2. Tom DeLay, Money Laundering and Influence Peddling; 4. Images of Responsibility - Honesty and Patronage in Government; Introduction; Role of Public Opinion in Democracies; Trust in Government; Causes for Mistrust; Pioneers of Ideal of Instilling Competence in Government; Merit Versus Patronage Debate; Conclusions; Case 4.1. Clinton Impeachment; Case 4.2. FEMA's Response to Hurricane Katrina; 5. Responsibility and International Law; Introduction; Concept of International Law: Guiding Documents; Theory of International Law; Treatment of Civilians; Case 5.1. My Lai; Case 5.2. Abu Ghraib; 6. Conclusions; Ethics and Responsibility; Micro-level (Individual View of Ethics); Macro-level (Organizational/Societal) View of Ethics; Case Studies and Public Interest, Natural Law and Rule of Law; Responsible and Ethical Behavior in Twenty-First Century America; Bibliography.
Biography
Steven G. Koven
