Ethical Imperialism

Ethical imperialism (which directs people to do everywhere exactly as they do at home) is the term used to describe a situation where a code of ethical behavior or attitude is imposed on another community or society. It is normally used in a derogatory or pejorative sense. Ethical imperialism is at one end of a spectrum with cultural relativism (where no culture's ethics are better than any other's) at the other. With respect to cultural relativism, St. Ambrose (339–397) is given credit for the notion of doing as the Romans do when in Rome. The theory behind ethical imperialism vis-à-vis relativism is absolutism. This means that ethical imperialists aka absolutists believe that, first, there is only one list of truths. This can be misleading because different societies may emphasize one value more highly than others—for instance, “loyalty” as in Japanese culture vis-à-vis “equality, fairness, and individual freedom” as in Western democratic countries. Second, these truths can only be expressed with one set of concepts such as the language of basic rights. This too can be misleading because Confucian and Buddhist traditions do not always recognize the same values as Western democracies. Furthermore, they have their own cultural traditions, which would have to be ignored if that path was followed. The third problem relates to following a global standard of ethical behavior. This would be impossible to do because context does matter when deciding what is right and what is wrong.

Ethical imperialism, a more specific form of cultural imperialism, is one of a number of cognate terms that emphasize the superiority of one set of values over another. Absolute domination describes a situation where a person or nation seeks to control events. Situations such as this can arise in business, international politics, or medicine when one individual or group seeks to impose its will on the conduct of other people's affairs. Ethical imperialism can be seen in a practical sense in the field of international business when an organization engaged in increasing its market share or making a takeover bid imposes its ethical and moral standards on the target group. In the field of international politics, the appointment of carefully selected representatives to bodies such as the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the United Nations suggests to critics of globalization that the concept of ethical imperialism is active. In the four examples above, the newly appointed incumbents can be expected to pursue a predictable line. There is also a suggestion that these key positions are being shared out among competing power blocs.

Cultural imperialism, a cognate and broader term, has been in common usage for some time and is easier to understand. However, imperialism, whether it be ethical, moral, or cultural, means that people, organizations, and societies with power, influence, and authority can and do impose or force their ethical, moral, or cultural standards on situations and people with less power, influence, and authority. Values that in Western democratic nations are assumed to be wholesome and virtuous, such as liberty, freedom, the rule of law, an open society, and recognition of an individual's rights, are not so easily imposed on less developed countries. For example, there are at the time of this writing, August 2005, many Iraqis who are determined not to accept a Western democratic style of government. If the West forces or imposes its values on countries that are perceived to be poorer or morally inferior, there is the risk of a negative reaction. Values and beliefs are best transmitted indirectly through trade, commerce, and higher education, whereby thousands of graduates return to their home countries with an awareness of Western democratic values.

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