Highlights

Understanding Choice – Living with the consequences – Equitable Taxation – Demanding right – Reservation/Affirmative actions and Discrimination – Freedom of Speech – Tolerate intolerance – Don’t reward Bullies or Protectionists – Judge actions morally and ethically.

Key Concepts

A Democracy is by definition a system that allows for the rights, to freedom of speech, freedom of choice and of freedom to worship any God you choose in a manner you choose or, to believe in no God at all. Also, to be effective a Democracy needs a largely literate population with a sizable middle class which tolerates different points of view and a Government which protects those without political power and which recognizes people’s right to oppose its policies and to even vote it out. However, some limits must exist on the individual’s right to exercise such freedoms so as not to infringe on the right to similar freedoms of others. When making Policies we have to determine the general extent and validity of such limits?

We also, have to understand the ethics, morality and equity of such decisions and the consequences they have, both on every one of us as individuals and on public policies that affect all of us and that call for limits on our individual freedom of choice or decision/action.Stephen Landsburg in his book, ‘The Big Question!Helps us to understand such issues.

If we decide to take the opinions of everyone about such freedoms, we would end up with very narrow limits, as few things are such as to be acceptable to all. It is therefore necessary to begin with the state of absolute freedom and then only put such limits on them to the extent that such freedoms are available to all. Such freedoms are of two classes, those that essentially concern only the person exercising the freedom and their families (See –‘Personal Choices-have you made each right?’) and the rest which also, affect others and thus call for acceptance or toleration by them and are dealt with herein.

Understanding Choice

Choices arise and call for decisions to be taken when you seek or face the need for betterment, for a change. Of course as Stephen.R.Covey notes- change itself has changed. Today it feels accelerated in all fields more than anyone ever imagined. However, the one thing that has not changed and never will is the fact that there are timeless and universal principles. They apply everywhere in the world and at all times. Principles inherent in the concept of Dharma like fairness, honesty, respect, ethics, morality and accountability, which governs our lives in the same way that natural laws like gravity, dictate the consequences of falling off a building. If we live by these principles, they will work for us to make our lives better and happier.

The law of ‘Karma’ or reciprocity is just as constant as the law of gravity. You can’t violate a moral principle or a natural law without suffering the consequences.

Unlike animals, we have the advantage of being endowed with the gift of conscience, imagination, self-awareness and independent will. We can sense right from wrong. We can stand apart from ourselves and evaluate our own behaviour. We can live out of our own imaginations, the future we wish to create instead of being held hostage by the memory of the past.

The more we exercise such endowments the greater our freedom to choose.

We choose to make the principles work for us or against us. We revel in our ability to choose. However, we must realize that we cannot take short cuts around the principles of life. You cannot get success without paying the price. You cannot have the rewards of a good character without having good character.

Right decisions in matters that affect others lead to public policies that ensure harmony in both the social and work environment.

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