Statesmanship and Ethics
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Statesmanship and Ethics
1
Statesmanship and Ethics
Michael W. Via
School of Public Administration, Liberty University
Author Note
Michael W. Via
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Michael Via
Email: mwvia@liberty.edu
Statesmanship and Ethics
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Statesmanship and Ethics
Introduction
To begin this examination of statesmanship and ethics in public administration; It is
important to define statesmanship as it relates to the administration of public sector
organizations. Many public administrators, political leaders, and elected officials are statesman,
but not all. Statesmanship is the pursuit of the common good (Newswander, 2012); as we all
know, many leaders throughout history sought personal benefit or the benefit of a small portion
of the public. The pursuit of personal benefit in the public sector also led to the development in
ethical standards which will be discussed later. In the Unites States today, statesmanship is a
highly sought after trait in public administrators. Statesmanship is a conjunction of natural
ability, high theoretical and practical intelligence along with acquired political experience that
enables the public administrator to pursue the common good. (Fornieri et al., 2021) In order for a
public administrator to demonstrate statesmanship, they must possess many qualities including
intelligence, integrity, foresight, humility, and must also be a public educator to communicate
these qualities and characteristics through actions to the public. The qualities and characteristics
of public sector leader align themselves with the qualities that describe a statesman. These
characteristics in particular, touch on the theme of ethics and how they relate to statesmanship
and public administration. Ethical leadership and standards of ethics in an organization is
essential to public sector organizations by providing an ethical role model to others, treating
people fairly, and actively managing ethics in the organization. (Menzel, 2015) This paper will
discuss the application of statesmanship and ethics and their associated structure, qualities, and
characteristics in public administration and how that influences modern public administrators.
Statesmanship
Statesmanship and Ethics
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Now that we have defined statesmanship, a deeper examination of its concepts and
application to public administration is necessary. Statesmanship can be defined in many contexts,
including the context of modern public administration. Overeem & Bakker do just this by
describing statesmanship as being the ability of a leader or government official to effectively
govern a state or country in a manner that prioritizes the well-being of its citizens and upholds
the principles of constitutionalism and representative democracy. Statesmanship is a concept that
has evolved over time, with a focus on the qualities of leadership, judgment, and character that
are required to govern effectively in complex and difficult circumstances. (2019)
Further application of statesmanship to the public administration context requires a
statesman to hold a deep understanding of the constitutional framework within which
government operates along with a commitment to uphold the principles of a representative
democracy, including but not limited to, the rights of individual citizens and the separation of
powers. In addition, the statesman must use sound judgement, strategic thinking, and effective
communication to address complex and ever-changing issues facing society and the community
they are serving. Ultimately, statesmanship in public administration is about using the powers the
government possesses through the constitution to promote the common good, rather than the
good of any particular group or individual. (Rosenbloom, 2015) It is at this intersection when
statesmanship and ethics collide and the two do not always necessary align themselves with one
another. For example, in the case of Thomas Jefferson’s decision to make the Louisiana Purchase
without congressional consent, he violated his personal ethics by betraying the structure of his
office and congress that he swore to abide by in order to make a decision that was the epitome of
statesmanship. This case, along with many others in public administration, present the challenge
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associated with ethical complexities associated with democratic governance, public
administration, and public management. (Newbold, 2005)
Ethics
The word ethics derives from ethos, a term that refers to the particular character or
disposition of people, society, or culture. It further makes reference to moral rules; defined by an
ethic act being a thing that is morally defensible. Ethics in a public administration context are
imposed though civil or criminal law that all citizens must follow, as well as standards rooted in
general social norms or standards that pertain to specific social groups, religious or moral
traditions, or specific professional norms. None of these other ethical standards carry legal
implications, but could carry consequences within the social group, religion, or profession.
(Dresang, 2017)
As mentioned in the last section, there are many ethical complexities associated with
democratic governance, public administration, and public management. In order to begin the
dissection of the complexities, a biblical perspective on ethics may be applied to describe the
origins and intentions of ethics.
Covenant
The biblical principle of covenant is a unifying concept for understanding organizational
behavior. It is a morally informed agreement among various parties to ratify and establish a long-
term, mutually-affirming relationship that can be closely related to ethics in organizations. It
protects the rights of all members of an organization by protecting the rights of every individual.
(Fischer, 2010) Applying the concept of covenant ethical standards in public administration
means that the highest standards of ethical behavior must be upheld. This requires a deep sense
Statesmanship and Ethics
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of moral purpose and a commitment to doing what is right and just, even in the face of difficult
challenges such as democratic governance, administrative challenges, and managerial challenges.
Applying the basic principles of covenant to ethics leads us to discussion on the core
concept of ethics in a public organization. Many public organizations commit to the philosophy
of ethics through a formal pronouncement of a Code of Ethics or Standards of Conduct.
(Armenia, 2013) These ethics guidelines are modeled from three major theories of western
normative ethics: Principle or duty-based ethics, consequentialism, and virtue ethics. (Urbano,
2014) An organizations commitment to ethical behavior reflects these theories of western
normative ethics and ensure that the organization upholds the highest standard of ethics.
Scripture characterizes this biblical concept of covenant with its implied duty to create
long term mutually-affirming relationships within an organization. Romans 13:8-10 says, “Owe
no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not
steal, you shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the
fulfilling of the law.” (ESV, 2001) If this scripture is applied to the relationships between the
public administrator with their colleagues and constituents, ethical behavior can be guaranteed
and some of the ethical complexities start to become less complex.
Ethics in Public Administration
The application of ethics in a modern public administration setting is done though
administrative ethics. Administrative ethics present numerous ethical and philosophical
dilemmas partially due to the constant changes in the principles and policies associated to it. The
basis for administrative ethics is identified by a framework of general core values that include
Statesmanship and Ethics
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rule of law, impartiality/objectivity, transparency, accountability, professionalism, duty of care,
reliability, and courtesy. (Radhika, 2012) Dresang refers to several of the ethical dilemmas that
rise from the conflict between the core values and role of an administrator, such as, the example
of an administrator who provides a free speech at the benefit of a private vendor group and then
receives reimbursements for related costs. (2017) The administrator is doing his duty by
networking and maintaining relationships for potential collaborative projects, however, his
impartiality and accountability could be called into question. In order for public organizations to
set rules on these types of dilemmas, a formal pronouncement in the form of the Code of Ethics
for Public Administration by the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) illustrate
their commitment to ethical behavior within the organization. This Code of Ethics are a good
start as guidelines for public administrators to behave ethically in the performance of their duties
and service to the community and organization.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this examination of statesmanship and ethics in public administration has
provided a thorough understanding of the concepts and their application to the public sector.
Statesmanship is the pursuit of the common good and requires a combination of natural ability,
high theoretical and practical intelligence, and acquired political experience. A statesman in
public administration must possess qualities such as intelligence, integrity, foresight, humility,
and be a public educator to effectively communicate these characteristics to the public. Ethical
leadership and standards are essential to public sector organizations by providing an ethical role
model, treating people fairly, and actively managing ethics in the organization. However, the
intersection of statesmanship and ethics is not always aligned, presenting complex ethical
challenges associated with democratic governance, public administration, and public
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Statesmanship and Ethics
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management. Understanding and navigating these challenges is crucial for modern public
administrators to effectively govern in a manner that prioritizes the well-being of citizens and
upholds the principles of constitutionalism and representative democracy. The biblical principle
of covenant is a unifying concept that can guide organizational behavior by establishing long-
term, mutually-affirming relationships that protect the rights of all members. Applying this
concept to public administration requires a deep sense of moral purpose and a commitment to
doing what is right and just, even in the face of difficult challenges. The Code of Ethics for
Public Administration by the American Society for Public Administration provides guidelines for
public administrators to behave ethically in the performance of their duties and service to the
community and organization. By upholding these ethical standards, public organizations can
ensure that they are fulfilling their obligations to the public and promoting the greater good.
Statesmanship and Ethics
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References
Armenia, A. (2013). Ethical values and the human resources behaviour in public management.
Administratie si Management Public, 20 49-61.
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Dresang, D. L. (2017). The public administration workbook (8th ed.). London, UK: Routledge.
ISBN: 9781138682085.
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com/
Fischer, K. (2010). A biblical-covenantal perspective on organizational behavior & leadership.
Liberty University.
Fornieri, J.R., Deutsch, K.L, & Sutton S.D. (2021). American statesmanship: Principles and
practice of leadership. University of Notre Dame. ISBN:978-0-268-20107-4
Menzel, D.C. (2015). Leadership in public administration: Creative and/or ethical? Public
Integrity, 17(4) 315-318. DOI 10.1080/10999922.2015.1065113
Newbold, S.P. (2005). Statesmanship and ethics: The case of Thomas Jefferson’s dirty hands.
Public Administration Review, 65
(6) 669-677.
https://www.proquest.com/docview/197171116?accountid=12085&forcedol=true
Newswander, C.B. (2012). Moral leadership and administrative statesmanship: Safeguards of
democracy in a constitutional republic. Public Administration Review, 72(6).
https://www.jstor.org/stable/41688015
Radhika, D. (2012). Ethics in public administration.
Journal of Public Administration and Policy
Research, 4
(2) 23-31. DOI: 10.5897/JPAPR11.049
Rosenbloom, D. H. (2015). Statesmanship, public administration, and the American constitution.
Public Administration Review, 75(6), 795-804.
Statesmanship and Ethics
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Urbano, R.C. (2014). Public administration ethics: James Svara’s model. Journal of Human
Values, 20. https://doi.org/10.1177/0971685813515604
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