Professional Ethics and Public Administration in the United States

Abstract

Most comparative world reports on governance, accountability, and rule of law consistently suggest that the United States has always been among the top 20 countries in control of corruption and respect of rule of law. This article examines some of the factors and actors that achieve this relatively high level of ethics monitoring and control of corruption in the U.S. public service. Four factors are proposed to be of great significance: democracy's principles, procedures, and processes; communalization and institutionalization of professional ethical standards; the role of professional leadership training and recruitment; and irrationalization of unethical behavior.