Ethical Behaviors

Must cite 4 pieces from the reading assignments attached  1 must be from “The Crucible” 1 must be from “The Philosophy Pieces” Read the following background statement: Because governments function for the well-being of society, it implements many rules and regulations to advance order and stability (laws and police enforcement, taxes, education, etc..). Many Western countries also seek to regulate and legalize its people’s freedoms (freedom of speech, etc.). In either case (rules that safeguard freedoms or restrict freedoms), governments provide regulated principles. However, governments and the people who run them often behave as though they are above the law and common moral/ethical behaviors, because of their position of power. Additionally, some governments have an official mechanism in cases of emergency which stipulate that regular proceedings are in a state-of-exception for the purpose of addressing the emergency. This legalizes behaviors that would normally be found immoral, unethical, or illegal. Please reference following article on George W Bush and Donald Trump’s flirtation with this second form of a state of exception (Links to an external site.). Prompt Question To what extend is the government’s (or those in power within the government) ability to exempt itself/themselves from laws and norms conducive to or detrimental to morality/ethics?  You might believe that people in power need more leeway to execute their burdensome role, or you might believe it sets a harmful precedence; in either case you must defend your position using evidence from the readings.