Did you know that you can never be ethical and moral and follow the law at the same time? The idea that we can have all three elements together is the hope that human society dreams.

All three elements together conflict each other.

Let us look at the definitions of ethics, morals, and law.

Ethics is the moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity. Morals are concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character. Law is the system of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and may enforce by the imposition of penalties.

If you are ethical you can abide by the law. If you are Moral you can be ethical. Also, if you are moral you can abide by the law. But you can never be all three together.

Morality governs private, personal interactions. Ethics governs professional interactions. Law governs society as a whole, often dealing with interactions between total strangers.

Some people talk about their personal ethics, others talk about a set of morals, and everyone in a society is governed by the same set of laws. If the law conflicts with our personal values or a moral system, we have to act – but to do so we need to be able to tell the difference between them.

Ethics and morals relate to “right” and “wrong” conduct. While they are sometimes used interchangeably, they are different: ethics refer to rules provided by an external source, e.g., codes of conduct in workplaces or principles in religions. Morals refer to an individual's own principles regarding right and wrong.

Morals and Law differ because the law demands an absolute subjection to its rules and commands. Law has enforcing authority derived from the state. It is heteronymous (being imposed upon men upon the outer life of men). Law regulates men’s relations with others and with society.

A promissory note is in force for three years. It is the debtor’s duty to repay the loan. It is the legal duty. The creditor can enforce legal action against the debtor within three years from the date of execution of a promissory note before the court of law. The legal duty involves a corresponding right. The state provides organized machinery for the enforcement of the law. Legal disputes admit to the principle of alteration by legislation. Legal disputes can only be settled by an appropriate court of law. Law is narrower than morality. It extends to a great number of such acts. The law applies to all the citizens whether they want or not. Law cannot be changed into morals.

Morality demands that men should act from a sense of ethical duty. Morality has no such enforcing authority from the state. It is autonomous (coming from the inner life of men). It governs the inner life of men. If the promissory note is time-barred, then the legal duty of the debtor turns into moral duty. Of course, moral duty is not enforceable before the court of law. It is also accompanied by a corresponding right. But right is not enforceable before the court of law. There is no such organization for the enforcement of morals. Moral rules do not admit even in principle admit of change by legislation. Moral disputes can be solved by the mediation of caste elders, village elders, etc. Morality applies to every human act.

Morality also applies to all persons. But it depends from person to person, from religion to religion, society to society. It is his/her pleasure to follow or not. But morals sometimes can be converted into law. Example: a donation to a charity institution is a moral principle. The income-tax recognized and exempts a certain percentage of income-tax towards donation from the total income.

Ethics and Law - Ethics are rules of conduct. Laws are rules developed by governments in order to provide balance in society and protection to its citizens. Ethics comes from people’s awareness of what is right and wrong. Laws are enforced by governments to their people. Ethics are moral codes that every person must conform to. Laws are codifications of ethics meant to regulate society. Ethics does not carry any punishment to anyone who violates it. The law will punish anyone who happens to violate it. Ethics comes from within a person’s moral values. Laws are made with ethics as a guiding principle.

It is clear that one cannot be Ethical, Moral, and follow the law. In today's society following the law affects the morality of people. Being ethical makes you look like you are against someone or something. What do you do? It is not to please anyone but make sure you are ok with what you will follow. Choose wisely because only two go side by side.



