Leadership and Ethics: Moral Quality and Cultural Differences

This essay delves into the critical aspects of leadership and ethics, focusing on the moral quality of leadership within various cultural contexts. It begins by referencing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, setting a foundation for evaluating ethical leadership. The essay uses a comparative analysis of Barack Obama and Donald Trump's presidencies to illustrate how leadership decisions impact human rights, international relations, and economic stability. It emphasizes the importance of judging morality across cultures to uphold human rights and promote equitable governance. The essay explores how cultural differences influence perceptions of morality, offering insights into the complexities of applying ethical standards globally, including examples related to different religious beliefs. The author concludes that a liberalized system of governance is essential for a culture, as the ability to judge morality in other cultures enables one to explore the extent of human rights and access to opportunities. The work underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of diverse cultural environments when assessing leadership ethics.

Running Head: LEADERSHIP AND ETHICS
LEADERSHIP AND ETHICS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1LEADERSHIP AND ETHICS
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The universal Declaration of Human Rights states that all humans are born free and
have equal rights and dignity without any distinction of color, race, sex, religion, language,
birth or other status, social or national origin and political or any other opinion. Every
individual has the right to life, liberty and security and no one shall torture or cruel, inhuman
treatment or nourishment (www.un.org). Everyone shall be considered equal before the law
and has the right to effective remedy. Arbitrary interference with one’s private or family life
besides the right to include into any religion or belief and gain assistance and special care
during motherhood and childhood shall be observed. These are few of the basic rights
explained by this Declaration of 1948.
What criteria would you use to judge the moral quality of leadership in
your culture and other cultures?
The moral quality of a leader is not essential until it adversely affects the people of the
nation. For instance, a close analysis on the recent U. S. Presidential positions of Barack
Obama and Donald Trump, when compared, shall bring out the difference clearly. While the
former U. S. President worked on the abolition of gender inequality by providing opportunity
to work besides medical care and assistance through measures like Obamacare, Trump has
retaliated from providing such subsidies and grants despite promising to revive the same. The
racial discrimination was another factor that had been considerably low in Obama’s rule,
however, Trump has been loud about his racial remarks and indifferent treatment towards the
migrants residing in the U. S. (Davis, 2019). The reflection of the U. S. in the international
trade market has also degraded after Trump’s comments of doubting the policies of NATO
Agreement and WTO regulations. The stressed trade relations with China and U. K. has
pushed the U. S. economy towards an economic slowdown also mark this (Unah & Williams,

2LEADERSHIP AND ETHICS
2019). However, during the presidency of Obama, an international relation of peace and
positivism was established that not only boosted trade but also good will. He also carefully
withdrew the military forces from Iraq and Afghanistan while also capturing Osama and
killing him, who has been a cause of the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in the U. S.
A.
Why is it important to be able to judge "morality" in other cultures?
The above instances of leadership explains the fact that morality is essential to
maintain global peace and trust of the democracy in a system and into the leadership. Thus,
the ability to judge the presence of morality in the other cultures enables one to explore the
extent of human rights and access to opportunities, A more liberalized and adaptive system of
governance is essential in a culture (Unah & Williams, 2019). However, some of the
followers Islam might adhere to the laws imposed on the women while others might find it
confining and restraining. It may be a moral question for some while for others; it may be
breach of human rights and a representation of forced morality, as found in in the ideas of
Sharia or Jihad. Thus, morality should be based on a rationale that inculcates the growth of
positivity and liberation of ideas. It is essential to understand a culture and the people
growing in the same before putting forth an opinion as environments differ with people,
mentalities and places (McGinnis & Somin, 2007).

3LEADERSHIP AND ETHICS
References
Davis, J. (2019). Trump’s World: Peril and Opportunity in US Foreign Policy after Obama.
Lexington Books.
McGinnis, J., & Somin, I. (2007). Should International Law Be Part of Our Law? Stanford
Law Review, 59(5), 1175-1247. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40040354
Unah, I., & Williams, R. (2019). The Legacy of President Obama in the US Supreme Court.
In Looking Back on President Barack Obama’s Legacy (pp. 149-189). Palgrave
Macmillan, Cham.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/.