OCTOBER 10, 2021
LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO ESSAY
MID-SEMESTER ASSESSMENT
“THE GOOD SOCIETY”
JUSTICE EWUSI _50622024
ASHESI UNIVESITY
BEREKUSO
THE GOOD SOCIETY
“Leadership is influence. It is the ability to obtain followers. When the leader lacks confidence,
the followers do not commit. A leader is great not because of his power, but because of his
ability to empower others” – John Maxwell. Having a good leader administering the day to day
affairs of the society can help to encourage it followers to adhere to the values and ideas of the
society and makes it a perfect place for everybody to live there. A good society in my opinion
is a society that supports issues and topics that relate to what is importance to the society, its
values, things that are working and others that are not working in the society.
A good society is about the happiness and wellbeing of everyone who lives in the community,
not only one individual. According to Socrates, the only way a perfect society would function is
when everyone sticks to their area of expertise. Socrates argue that people will naturally
gravitate to the place they specialize and excel in. It is natural for people to do what they are
meant to do which makes them happy. “In the case of human societies, composed of
conscious and rational beings, development must be guided and underpinned by a set of
goals. These goas are the values of a society or nation” Gyekye (1988). There are some ideas
and values that are considered important for a good society which include; economic
development and cultural integrity, democracy and social cohesion, virtue and right conduct,
human dignity and wealth and many others. In this essay, I would focus on how virtue and right
conduct is important for a good society and their impacts or connection to one modern societal
problem, thus, corruption.
Virtue and right conduct are two interrelated values that are important for a good society. These
two values have different meanings but similar in practice. I would say right conduct is
dependent on virtue and virtue is also dependent on right conduct. In research from Holmes
(2007) “Qualities that makes for excellence we call virtues”. Thus, a person who has virtue is
good person with high moral traits and does not support anything unethical. Such a people
conduct themselves in a manner that affects the society positively and speaks against anything
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which is seen as a threat to having a good society. He continues to state the different qualities
that make up virtue; thus, natural qualities, acquired qualities, qualities of temperament,
religious qualities, and qualities of character. Some individuals are born with virtue and others
who do not have it but believes virtue is a value which is important for a good society tends to
learn to become a virtuous person. The German philosopher Immanuel Kant on the other hand
defines virtue as capacity and the willingness of human beings to fulfil or exercise their duties.
Kant’s ideology of virtue is contrary to how other philosophers like Aristotle classically defines
it.
Good conduct on the other hand, means compliance with the rules and values of a society. In
other words, knowing what is good and right and doing exactly that. According to the German
philosopher Immanuel Kant, our actions must be the kind that respect the goal of human beings
rather than using them for my own benefit and purpose. This argument does not mean that it is
wrong for an individual to take an action with an intention to make yourself happy but your
reason for doing that particular thing should not be merely because you enjoy doing them but it
must be in accordance to societal values which is required by duty.
Bribery and corruption is one modern societal problem that has become difficult to deal with.
People who are appointed or elected into various offices tend to favour those that they know or
have connection with either being a close relative or you bribe them before they grant you the
services you may need which is duly free. Projects are awarded to contractors who are affiliated
to the government or to someone they can influence in order to steal some of the money
budgeted for the construction. Even in sports, those that calls themselves football people tend to
involve themselves in bribery and corruption issues because what they receive from the work
they do isn’t enough for them. Referees take money to take decisions in favour of a particular
team, others have to pay huge amount of money before they are called into the national team.
Judges who preside over judicial cases engage in corrupt acts by taking money and other
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valuables from people and rule cases in their favour. All these practices go on in our society
because they do not conform to the values and morals of a good society.
If the people in the society are virtuous, they are motivated to do the right thing at all cost. Such
person does not tolerate unethical behaviour like bribery and corruption which affect one party
positively and affect others negatively. Everybody will leave happily in the society if everyone
is a good person and does not do things that will affect others negatively but promotes
conducive atmosphere for everyone in the society. There are situations that results in ethical
dilemma where you don’t know the right thing to do. Choosing to go by one way leaves a
question about the other. Having high moral standard will guide you make decision between
situations that challenging. You might need to lie in certain scenarios to save others or protect
them but you should also have in mind the goal of the society and value it accordingly.
Having right conduct at all point might also influence the way we live and entice the people in
the society to live by what is right. There won’t be a case where a referee will have to take
money from clubs and take decision in their favour, coaches won’t make selection into the
national team because of money paid by some people, and court judges will also not make
ruling in favour of the culprit and leave the law-abiding citizen to suffer. Contracts will be
awarded based on merit and prevent discrimination and other immoral behaviours that is
against the goals and values of a good society. Leaders of the society must also put up right
attitude for the citizens to follow. You must speak against any unethical decision and behaviour
that stamped the growth of the society. “Socrates was a moralist and an enthusiast. He was the
type of man who would criticize any form of government for its shortcomings (and indeed,
such criticism would be necessary and useful for any government, although it is possible only
under a democracy) but he recognized the importance of being loyal to the laws of the state”
Popper (1966). This actions of Socrates are unique in putting up right conduct. Speak against
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any immoral practices, and bold to do what is right even if everybody is doing the wrong thing
and expects you to join such practices.
In a nutshell, virtue and right conduct goes hand in hand and as we strive to make our societies
a good place, it is important to do things that are morally accepted in the society by following
the goals and values that the society admire. Do what is right at all cost, and be a good person
in the society by doing what makes you happy not only for your enjoyment but the good impact
it will have on the society.
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Reference
“Chapter 3: Virtue in Ancient Philosophy” Holmes, R. L. (2007). Basic moral philosophy
(4th ed). Wadsworth
“Chapter 7: The Principle of Leadership” Popper, K. (1966) The open society and its
enemies. Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Gyekye, K. (1988). The unexamined life: Philosophy and the African experience
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