What Happens in the Absence of Ethics ?

Published on 30 Oct 2025

The absence of, or the disregard for ethics can have various negative consequences for individuals, societies, and the broader global community.

Moral relativism: A situation where there is no objective standard of right or wrong. This can lead to each person/group determining their own moral code, resulting in conflicting values.

Example: In some communities, child marriage may be a culturally ingrained practice, even though they are widely considered unethical and violate human rights.

Unfair practices: In the absence of ethics, unfair practices such as exploitation, corruption and dishonesty prevail, resulting in a decline in overall societal well-being.

Example: The intentional selling of faulty or unsafe products, which harms consumers and undermines fair market competition.

Erosion of trust: When ethics are absent, trust diminishes, leading to suspicion, conflict, and a breakdown of social cohesion. This hinders progress in various aspects of life.

Example: The Coalgate scandal of 2012 dented the credibility of the ruling party, affecting their electoral prospects and public perception.

Social injustice: In the absence of ethics, social injustice can prevail, with marginalized groups being further oppressed, and the violation of basic human rights.

Example: Incidents like the Nirbhaya case, along with numerous other instances of gender-based discrimination, harassment, and violence, occur due to the absence of ethical values.

Negative organizational culture: Organizations may prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability and ethical practices. This can lead to toxic work environments, and a lack of accountability.

Example: Uber faced allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination, and a toxic work environment, which shed light on a culture that prioritized aggressive growth and profit over employee welfare.

Environmental degradation: Unethical practices can lead to pollution, deforestation, overconsumption of resources, and climate change.

Example: The atomic bombing of Hiroshima released enormous amounts of radiation, which caused immediate and long-term damage to the environment.

Loss of personal integrity: Individuals may engage in behaviours that contradict their values, leading to guilt, inner conflict, and a loss of self-respect.

Example: Cheating in relationships can cause guilt and loss of self-respect.

Lack of accountability: Individuals and institutions may evade responsibility for their behaviour, leading to a culture of impunity.

Example: When police officers who abuse their power are not held accountable for their actions, it perpetuates a cycle of abuse, thereby increasing the likelihood of similar incidents occurring in the future.

The absence of ethics does not mean that ethical behaviour ceases to exist entirely. Ethics are deeply ingrained in human nature, and even in challenging circumstances, individuals and communities strive for ethical conduct.