[i习作temp] Issue 43 帮忙改一改啊！！ [复制链接]

Does a public official must always maintain the highest ethical and moral standards if he want to be regarded as an effective leader? In my view, there is no cut-and-dry answer to this question. Basically, I tend to agree that politicians are supposed to hold high morality and ethics, yet under particular occasion, which I will discuss later, behaviors that may be viewed as immoral are inevitable.

To begin with, a public official's level of morality and ethics contributes directly and deeply to his reputation and image among citizens. A politician's reputation is tightly related to the respect and support, which is admittedly the foundation to a public official to become an effective leader, from citizens. Along with the sharply development of mass media, which provides citizens with effective method to find out details about politicians' daily work and life, citizens will be no longer blind to public officials' behavior and standpoint. One of the typical examples to support this opinion is the Watergate Scandal. President Nixon's political plot was ultimately dig out by two reporters and then revealed to citizens. All citizens knew his behavior of cheating and immortality, which, as a result, finally led to the first resignation of a president in the history of the United States.

Not only does the level of morality and ethics play a crucial role in a politician's reputation, but it impact considerably on the development of the society or the country as well. This type of impact is unavoidable, since political activities and decisions made by public officials affect directly or indirectly on every aspect of the function of our society, no matter the main direct of the society's development as a whole, or details in every citizen's daily life. Take George Washington, the first president of the United States, for example. George Washington, who contributed profoundly to the United States' high level of democracy, sternly insist on the establish of democracy of the United State, even though his reputation and military power completely allowed him to become a military dictator or even a king after the American Revolution. Without Washington's unswerving conviction and high level of morality, the United States' progress of democracy may not like what it presents today.

Although morality and ethics are essential traits for a public official in order to be an effective leader, it must be noted that the pure pursuit for high level and morality and honesty may put a public official in a disadvantage position in some cases. Plot and deceit, on the contrary, are inevitable in drastic political competitions. Consider a politician who is completely honest to not only the public buy also his political competitors, he is most likely to be clean out of the game soon since his competitors are unlikely to be as honest as him. Therefore, some behaviors which may be regarded as immorality are necessary in politic activities. It won't be harmful as long as it does not exert any detrimental influence on society or citizens.

In sum, while some people may remain convinced, the reason mentioned above may at least make them aware at the complexities of this issue. There is little doubt that more and more people will come to realize that even though strong evidence demonstrated that morality and ethics are essential traits for a public official in order to become an effective leader, morality, especially pure honesty, sometimes may hinder a public officials development.