Obedience, to Authority and to the Law
Dawn R. Elm
Obedience: behavioral compliance with a set of standards or rules formulated by an individual or by a group. In either case, an individual is being obedient to authority when he or she be haves in a manner prescribed by these standards or rules.
Authority refers to the right or power of the individual or group who formulated the standards to ensure compliance. Such authority is generally conveyed by the capability to enforce the standards. Authority is a function of the perceived legitimate power of the group or individual who formulated the standards. Legitim ate power is power derived from the position or role of the group or individual. For example, typical sources of legitimate power and authority can be found in the roles of parent, supervisor, teacher, and various law enforcement and judicial positions. The law can be considered a formal set of rules and standards that is associated with significant legitimate power and authority in society.
The psychological and moral implications of obedience to authority have been investigated by various researchers. Milgram (1974), for example, examined why individuals abandon their responsibility when obeying their super visor inside a hierarchy. He suggested that the hierarchical structure of organizations causes individuals to deny responsibility for their actions because they are following orders (obeying authority). Carroll (1978) and Jackall (1988) both described how difficult it can be for managers to behave morally inside a hierarchical business organization when obeying a supervisor may be a condition of continued employment or advancement (see moral mazes).
The moral implications of obedience to the law have also been discussed by numerous scholars. A useful distinction between moral legalism and pure legalism can be found in Beau champ and Bowie (1993), as well as a variety of other business ethics texts. Moral legalism refers to using the law as a moral standard or rule; that is, the moral thing to do is to obey the law. Pure legalism refers to obeying the law as a means to help coordinate social activities, but does not always constitute moral behavior. The morality of an individual’s action is determined by a moral rule or standard which supersedes the law. Therefore, although morality and law are closely connected, they are distinct. Obeying the law does not necessarily result in moral behavior.
See also justice; legal ethics and business ethics; organization ethics; organizational theory, ethical issues in
Bibliography
Beauchamp, T. L. and Bowie, N. E. (1993). Ethical Theory and Business, 4th edn. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Carroll, A. (1978). Linking business ethics to behavior in organizations. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 43, 4 11.
Jackall, R. (1988). Moral Mazes: The World of Corporate Managers. New York: Oxford University Press.
Milgram, S. (1974). Obedience to Authority. New York: Harper and Row.