Over the last week the Daily Telegraph has revealed the details of the expense claims made by British Members of Parliament. The claims have ranged from the petty, such as 88p bath plugs, to the outrageous, such as the upkeep of a "pergola cross beam". It is an understatement but the public’s respect for our elected representatives has dissolved. The House of Commons is now perceived as being full of arrogant and detached individuals who, due to their position, feel that they are entitled to milk the tax-payer for as much as possible. In most cases, House rules have not been broken. It is quite obvious that whilst the letter of the law has been followed the spirit has certainly been ignored. Expenses are available so that citizens may be served as fully as possible by their representative to parliament. It is very difficult to see how having a sauna installed or a moat cleaned enables this.Stephen Fry, commenting on the recent scandal, said "it's not that important, it really isn't." He argued that being imaginative with expenses is a reality of life and normal behaviour. The problem with this however is that Mr Fry forgets that our earthly authorities have to set a higher standard. Governing is a sacred duty. St Thomas, writing on kingship, compares the role of the authority in society to that of the soul in the body and of God in the universe. It is the head of a body and has a duty to lead it to its end. The end of human society, which our government should be leading us to, is the virtuous life. The higher end of the virtuous life is to attain the happiness of God which is the ultimate end. However, if the head of the body-politic is not leading by example, if it is rotten with greed and arrogance, this will pollute the whole society.
The vocation to public office is built on service; serving God, society and our fellow human beings. If our representatives lose sight of this and adopt a perverse self-serving attitude how can citizens find any moral authority in their leaders? How can an authority, lacking this moral authority, lead society?
Thank you ; a timely reminder !
ReplyDeleteDo you think that one cause of the problems in recent years is that there is no longer any sense of 'noblesse oblige' in public duty, but rather a sense of 'how deep can I get my snout into the trough ?'
Apropos of governmental authority, I always relish the old Anglican prayer for the Queen, which contains two wonderful cautions - 'that she, knowing Whose authority she hath' and 'that we, knowing Whose minister she is' : but it is definitely a two-way street, and I think that today there is much more concern about the privileges of being an MP, and much less about the duties and responsibilities.
Keep up the good work.
I know that many people don't agree, but I really do believe that people in positions of authority should give a good example. It DOES matter that our leaders(!) are seen to be men of women of integrity in their public and private affairs.
ReplyDeleteI know from my own experience that I will try to take a mile when offered an inch- and justify it to myself, especially if others are doing it too.
ReplyDeleteThis is part of human nature- but it is not something to be proud of, not to be excused. It needs to be challenged. We all need to exercise self-control, and that includes our leaders.
I can't agree that moral authority is quite the same thing as presenting the tidy and acceptable image of moral authority. Ethics isn't about image.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous;
ReplyDelete'Ethics isn't about image.' Quite true; but is there really any possibility of something possessing ethical authority whose ethical image is based on a demonstrable lack of ethical conduct ?
is there really any possibility of something possessing ethical authority whose ethical image is based on a demonstrable lack of ethical conduct?As far as the religious professionals around him were concerned, Christ was justly murdered because he displayed a 'demonstrable lack of ethical conduct'.
ReplyDeleteIf we demand the image of ethics from politicians we will surely get the fascism we are in fact asking for.
We do not demand the "image of ethics" - we want ethical conduct itself. There must be checks and balances in the system to stop fascism.
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