„Gorzki jest chleb prawego urzędnika”. Problemy etyki zawodowej urzędników Królestwa Polskiego okresu konstytucyjnego
“Bread of Righteous Official Is Bitter”. Problems of Professional Ethics of the Kingdom of Poland’s Officials in the Constitutional Period

Author(s): Alicja Kulecka
Subject(s): 19th Century
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: official deontology; professional ethics of officials; constitutional Kingdom; administration in a constitutional state
Summary/Abstract: The period of the constitutional Kingdom, especially in the years of 1818–1820, was the time of creating norms, ethical standards and discussions on official deontology. The sources point out that attitudes towards professional ethics and ethical behaviour were very diverse. According to the literature on this subject, the bad financial situation of Russian officials was one of the important factors determining the scale of corruption. But it is worth looking for other factors: education, school and family attitudes, ethical family traditions, environment, and religious beliefs. Shaping the ethical standards of an official was accompanied by a public discourse concerning the organization of the administration and its functions in the constitutional state. The constitution, the parliament, freedom of the press were perceived as important elements affecting the moral picture of the authorities. However, there was no complete freedom of the press and public expression in the constitutional Kingdom – this essential element was lacking in shaping ethical behaviour, application of ethical theories and norms.

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