Principles of Ethical Government: Combating Corruption

Mormon Women for Ethical Government’s Principles of Ethical Government (1)(a), (1)(b), and (1)(c) state:

(a) People in positions of power should not lightly violate or discard long-standing political norms, especially norms that serve to limit the abuse of power (see D&C 121:39).

(b) Government officials and institutions should be honest and transparent, insofar as possible without harming national security and individual rights (see D&C 123:13; Alma 37:25).

(c) Elected and appointed officials and government employees alike must eschew conflicts of interest and avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest in fidelity to the public trust. Appointees to specialized government roles should be well-qualified to serve in those roles (see Mosiah 29:35-36 and D&C 134:3).

As citizens, we must be able to identify both corruption and the proper use of government power, and be willing to use our voices and our votes to support those who would use entrusted power for the good of the people and to decry corruption.

The document below outlines methods and resources to accomplish these goals. It also includes thought questions, ways to take action, and ideas for teaching these principles to children.

Read the individual pages by clicking on the images below, or download the entire four-page document here.