Ethics of Dissent

As a public administrator, do you believe that it is better to go along with a policy or practice that you know is wrong or to work against your supervisors willfully, delaying, redirecting, and participating in clandestine meetings in order to accomplish an objective that you know to be right and to serve the public good? The Ethics of Dissent: Managing Guerrilla Government by Rosemary O'Leary poses exactly that question.

According to O'Leary, guerrilla activity in government agencies is not merely the behavior of disgruntled employees but often the result of "inevitable tensions between bureaucracy and democracy that will never go away" (2014, p. 3). The term guerrilla government refers to a form of dissent carried out by government employees who are dissatisfied with the actions of their organization. Guerrilla employees can be an asset to government in that they ask the difficult questions that can, with the right management, lead to the diversity of views that in turn leads to stronger government. However, managers can perceive guerrillas as a hindrance to operations. Some managers, for example, believe that guerrillas undermine the organization's efforts by providing insider information to sympathetic interest groups, leaking unfavorable information to the press, and filing lawsuits against their own organizations.

This week, you examine aspects of guerrilla government and the ethical dilemmas and competing obligations that dissenters face.

Guerrilla Government and Waldo's Map of Ethical Obligations of a Public Servant

In what context should you view guerrilla government activities? The literature points to three lenses through which you can view such activities: the bureaucratic politics lens, the organization and management lens, and the ethics lens. The ethics lens is the most challenging because of the subjective influences that affect how individuals identify ethical behavior. Who determines ethical behavior and how do these individuals compel others to adhere to it? One way to identify whether a behavior is ethical is to consider if it violates your professional obligation as a public administrator. Waldo's Map of Ethical Obligations accomplishes just that.

For this Discussion, review Chapters 1 and 2 in O'Leary (2014). Specifically, focus on the individuals' competing obligations and the ethical approach used by the Nevada Four guerrillas in the Nevada Wetlands case study. Familiarize yourself with Waldo's map of ethical obligations of a public servant.

Post an explanation of the Nevada Four guerrillas' competing obligations using Waldo's map of ethical obligations of a public servant. Explain the impact of the guerrillas' actions on the individuals involved, the organization, and public policy. Finally, explain whether you agree or disagree with their actions and why.

Reference:

O'Leary, R. (2014). The ethics of dissent: Managing guerrilla government (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: CQ Press.