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Journal VOL. 3 NO. 1, July. 2022, ISSN: 2714 - 4054

 

Politics as Social Necessity: Discourse on the Moral Foundation of Politics

Onyekwere Bartholomew Agunnia

 

ABSTRACT

Politics, in letter and in spirit, will be restricted to the sphere of government, and by implication the state. The paper is philosophical and uses critical method with recourse to secondary data. It admits the contention that politics has its origin in morality and should always be subjected to moral assessment. When politics is mentioned, we mean that which politicians and public and political office holders and statesmen do in the service of the State. Other perspectives of politics, such as what happens in the family circles, boardrooms, market places, industries, religious organizations, in organizations outside government and the State, are hereby suppressed, even as the allusion may only be in passing or by implication. The paper argues that politics, and politicking, have their origin in human moral consciousness. Men, in organized society, could only reasonably evolve a system through which they are rationally organized. Politics is in accord with the moral nature of man. The paper posits that politics must be practiced within the ambit of morality, and is therefore constantly in need of moral assessment; this accounts for the reason civilized countries make high moral demands on their politicians and political office holders. Political parties on their own shop for people of impeccable characters and high level of integrity to fly their flags during elections; a critical objective of a political party is to clinch power. The development or otherwise of any polity is determined in the main by the degree of morality appropriated by the political office holders. A government is adjudged by its moral standing. This therefore underscores the conclusion that politics is consistent with morality. Politics is better understood, assessed, and made intelligible within the framework of morality. Therefore any attempt to deprive politics its moral inclination will be a disservice to humanity. More so, that politics stems from human activity, and like most human acts, it calls for moral assessment and hence a return to moral consciousness and ethical reorientation in political life.

Keywords: Common Good, Human Rights, Politics, Politician, Government, Morality, State.

 

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