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Impartiality and Non-Partisanship

Last Updated : 23 Sep, 2022
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Impartiality, non-partisanship, and non-bias are different terms used to refer to the state of being unbiased or neutral. This can mean that there are no real differences between groups of people or that all people are treated the same in some way. Being impartial means giving equal attention to each side of an argument or issue in an even-handed way without paying more attention to one side than the other.

What is Impartiality with Examples?

In general, to be considered impartial means that you are making decisions based on the facts of the situation without any sort of personal bias. Impartial decisions are often thought to be easier to defend because if someone disagrees with your decision they will have a hard time attacking it. You can also avoid accusations of favouritism or cronyism if you don’t show a preference for people who are like you or support what you want. 

For example, an attorney might take into account a lawyer’s background when arguing in court to appeal against certain prejudices held by jurors.

Non-Partisanship:

Non-partisanship is the practice of seeking objectivity by taking no political sides. In some sense, it can be thought of as neutrality in politics or not playing favourites. It’s important to maintain a clear separation between one’s personal views and their professional position on all matters. No matter how much someone disagrees with the president, for example, that person cannot allow these feelings to affect the way they do their job, because doing so would constitute a breach of non-partisanship. 

For example, if a police officer disagreed with the Trump administration but was too biased to uphold justice equally for all people, then that officer would have failed at being nonpartisan. Similarly, if an environmentalist disagreed with government regulations on natural resources such as coal but continued to work for this administration and support its policies, then he or she also could not be said to be maintaining non-partisanship.

What is Impartiality in Ethics?

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that discusses what people should be allowed to do, in what way they should behave, etc. If a person behaves ethically, it means that their behaviour does not infringe on the rights of others. There are different types of ethics but most importantly, one must be impartial. An unbiased perspective is important because it allows for everyone’s voice to be heard when discussing or taking decisions that concern all. It ensures justice. A good example would be judges: a judge has to consider the argument from both sides before making a decision. They cannot say yes just because they like one side more than the other. However, sometimes people can make ethical choices even if they have biases as long as their bias does not interfere with others’ rights.

Importance of Impartiality for Civil Servants?

The importance of impartiality for civil servants is illustrated by the following: 

  1. Indifference should be practised by civil servants by the principle of integrity; 
  2. To maintain impartiality and justice, a civil servant should not serve any kind of power group or resort to the application of double standards; 
  3. Political neutrality must be upheld by civil servants; 
  4. Keeping away from partisanship helps avoid making irresponsible comments. 
  5. Civil servants should be motivated by loyalty to the state rather than personal benefits. 
  6. Many ways could lead a civil servant to conflict with his/her duty such as participating in demonstrations, signing petitions etc.

Therefore, he/she needs to pay attention that he/she does not violate the law which means carrying out illegal acts like corruption. With this conclusion, we can see that the importance of impartiality is crucial for a civil servant’s job.

5 Importance of Non-Partisanship for Civil Servants:

  • Effective Administration: Civil servants should serve the country with zeal, without regard for their personal political views. They must not abuse the power of their office for partisan purposes. As such, any attempt at retribution against an opponent on account of previous differences of opinion or party interest is not only illegal but also wrong as it would impair the performance of government duties. 
  • Non-Interference in Politics: Civil servants should avoid interfering in the business of other departments or ministries. 
  • Neutrality in the Decision-Making Process: Civil servants are expected to maintain a position of neutrality while performing their duties that may involve choosing between conflicting policies set by different parties. 
  • Service Honesty: Civil servants should be honest in the discharge of their duties. Any misrepresentation or concealment of facts from those who have a right to know them is dishonest service. 
  • Confidentiality: The word secret has been used in defining the term confidential to distinguish it from secrecy which has been understood merely as privacy.

Why impartial and being Non-partisan is Considered Indispensable Qualities of Civil Servants?

The first one, being independent is to establish autonomy from others’ influence to protect themselves from personal desires. The second one, being nonpartisan is a duty to work for the best interests of the people who had voted them into office. To be nonpartisan means to not favour or support either party in a political contest. As civil servants, their primary responsibility is to the public good, which must sometimes outweigh their loyalty to any particular faction or person. Partisan loyalty may lead civil servants to create decisions that are biased towards those they support while they may neglect those they oppose. For example, partisan loyalty may lead civil servants to give advantages to organizations that support their party rather than organizations opposing it. On the other hand, unbiased and fair judgments can help promote trust and confidence among citizens. 

Conclusion:

Non-partisanship should be everyone’s goal. The more the world opens up to differing ideas, the more we will progress as a society. Our youth can learn tolerance, acceptance, empathy, and understanding by talking to people who are different from them. The future of humanity is reliant on open dialogue so that people feel accepted and engaged in society. More than ever before now is the time for us to come together rather than divide into groups or camps with strong opinions on both sides of the spectrum. In conclusion, impartiality and non-partisanship are indispensable qualities of civil servants because they ensure fairness when carrying out duties at all times.


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