NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same
General Studies – 1
Topic: Role of women and women’s organization,
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the role of SHG’s in women empowerment and suggest measures to improve their performance.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by defining SHG’s and the origin and growth of SHG movement in India.
Body:
Frist, write about the role played by the SHG’s in women empowerment – breaking chains of poverty, collective action, self-employment and financial independence and credit disbursal etc.
Next, write about the various factors which have constrained SHG’s from realizing their full potential. Suggest measures to overcome these.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
A self-help group (SHG) is a village-based financial intermediary committee normally consist of 10–20 local women or men. When the formal financial system fails to help the needy, then small groups volunteer to cater to the needs of the financially weak by collecting, saving and lending the money on a micro scale. SHGs have gained wide recognition in most developing countries in Asia where their presence is quite pervasive
Body
Role of SHG’s in women empowerment
- Capital formation: Through micro-finance, many SHG’s have created valuable assets and capital in the rural areas and are sustaining livelihoods.
- Access to credit: SHGs provide better access to credit at acceptable and convenient terms. The members have been able to obtain loans for emergent productive and non-productive purposes on comparatively easy terms. This has reduced their dependence on local moneylenders to a large extent.
- Government initiative such as SHG-Bank linkage program is also increasing their financial inclusion and easy access to credit from formal institutions.
- Poverty Alleviation: The approach of poverty alleviation through SHG is the most effective means and suits the ongoing process of reforms based on the policy of decentralization.
- SHGs have given the poor the access to microfinance and consequently led to important changes in their access to productive resources such as land, water, knowledge, technology and credit.
- Employment generation: Self-employment activities such as collective farming, bee-keeping, horticulture, sericulture have been taken up by SHG’s.
- Social welfare: There are many successful cases where SHG women have come together to close liquor shops in their village.
- Rural infrastructure: Schemes such as Aajeevika express have helped SHG’s in creating transport in rural areas.
- Women empowerment: SHGs have been able to improve the skills of women to do various things by managing the available natural resources.
- It is estimated that more than 25 million rural women of India have been benefited by the Self Help Groups (SHG).
- As a group they can help each other to learn so many things along with the money management because most of the women in the rural areas have a very little knowledge for the management of money.
- g. Kudumbashree in Kerala has been a huge success. Kudumbashree café is an exemplary example of nurturing entrepreneurship through SHG’s.
- They also act as a delivery mechanism for various services like entrepreneurial training, livelihood promotion activity and community development programs.
Challenges faced
- There are issues like regional imbalance, less than ideal average loan size, lack of monitoring and training support by self-help group federations.
- Escalating non-performing assets of self-help group loans with banks.
- Several studies have also found issues related to governance, quality, transparency and irregularity in their functions.
- Low levels of literacy among the rural women.
- The study found that over time groups were disintegrating on account of coordination issues.
- Rural micro-enterprises run by SHG members suffer from critical bottlenecks, whether in raising funds for start-up, growth and working capital or accessing high-quality technical assistance.
Way Forward
- Government programs can be implemented through SHGs.
- This will not only improve the transparency and efficiency but also bring our society closer to Self-Governance as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi.
- Constant and enduring structural handholding support from the self-help group promoting institutions (SHPIs).
- Frequent awareness camps can be organised by the Rural Development department authorities to create awareness about different schemes.
- Periodic capacity-building of all members, to make the group the collective.
- With the Government’s focus on digital financial inclusion, investing in training of group members for transition towards technological platforms.
- It is important to invest in providing the right kind of support to maximize the impact these groups can have on livelihoods.
- Emphasising SHG movement on women’s entrepreneurship as an engine of growth in rural India.
- There should not be any discrimination among members based on caste, religion or political affiliations
Conclusion
SHG approach is an enabling, empowering, and bottom-up approach for rural development that has provided considerable economic and non-economic externalities to low-income households in developing countries. SHG approach is being hailed as a sustainable tool to combat poverty, combining a for-profit approach that is self-sustaining, and a poverty alleviation focus that empowers low-income households. It is increasingly becoming a tool to exercise developmental priorities for governments in developing countries.
Value addition
Evolution of SHGs
- The concept evolved over decades and was pioneered by Noble laureate Mohammad Yunus as Self Help Groups (SHGs) in 1970s.
- SHG movement in India gained momentum after 1992, when NABARD realized its potential and started promoting it.
- NABARD’s SHG-Bank Linkage Program (SBLP) connected group members to formal financial services.
- Over the last two decades, the SBLP has proven to be a great medium for social and economic empowerment for rural women.
- India has witnessed state-led promotion of SHGs through a three-tiered architecture of community institutions at group, village and cluster level.
- In 1999, Government of India, introduced Swarn Jayanti Gram Swarojgaar Yojana (SGSY) to promote self- employment in rural areas through formation and skilling of SHGs.
Topic: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Live Mint , Insights on India
Why the question:
The article highlights the need to address caste-based discrimination in India and calls for public debate and action. It emphasizes that the persistence of caste divisions hinders social progress, equality, and harmony.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the ill effects of social divisions, reasons for its prevalence and ways to overcome it.
Directive word:
Elucidate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving background about the social divisions in modern India.
Body:
First, write about the reasons for the prevalence of social divisions in India and factors behind it.
Next, mention the impact of social divisions and how it is affecting contemporary society. Substantiate with facts and examples.
Next, write about the steps that are needed to overcome the above issues and empower weaker sections.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
India has innumerable social divisions that are obstacles in unlocking the full potential of individual as it constrains mobility and access. One such social division is the caste system of India which even today is the dominant factor in the social life of people. From politics to education to jobs
Body
Reasons for the prevalence of social divisions in India and factors
- Segmental division of society: It means that social stratification is largely based on Membership to a caste group is acquired by birth, on the basis of which people are ranked in relative to other caste groups.
- Hierarchy: It indicates that various castes are categorized according to their purity and impurity of occupations. Just like a ladder, castes are ranked from higher to lower positions. Pure caste is ranked at the top and impure is ranked at the
- Civil and religious disabilities: These comprise of restrictions based on contact, dress, speech, rituals etc. and are placed on every caste group. It was done in order to maintain purity of specific caste groups. Example, lower caste groups had no access to wells, they were restricted from entering temples
- Endogamy: Members of a particular caste have to marry within their caste only. Inter- caste marriages are prohibited. However, in urban areas, the phenomenon of inter- caste marriage is
- Untouchability: It is the practice of ostracizing a group by segregating them from the mainstream by social Untouchability was a corollary of the caste system, wherein the untouchables (those belonging to the lowest caste groups) were deemed impure and polluted.
- Manual scavenging: Manual scavenging eventually became a caste-based occupation, which involves the removal of untreated human excreta from bucket toilets or pit It has been officially abolished by the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013.
- Caste based violence in India: Increasing trend of caste based violence are related to instances of inter-caste marriage and assertion of basic rights by Dalits including land rights, freedom of expression, access to justice, access to education e.g. A group of Dalits were attacked in Una, Gujarat when they had participated in the movement for demand of land ownership for the Dalits.
- Policy of caste based reservation: The system of caste-based reservation in India comprises of a series of affirmative action measures, such as reserving access to seats in the various legislatures, to government jobs, and to enrollment in higher educational institutions. E.g. Scheduled Caste groups are given 15% reservation in government services and educational institutions.
Impact of social divisions and how it is affecting contemporary society
- Caste, through its rigid social control and networks facilitates economic mobility for some and erects barriers for others by mounting disadvantages on them.
- It also shapes the ownership pattern of land and capital and simultaneously regulates access to political, social, and economic capital too.
- Castes that were already in control of trading and industrial spaces resisted the entry of others. Even those who had economic surplus in farm sectors could not invest in nonfarm modern sectors.
- Social inequalities have mounted barriers for economic transition due to which the agrarian capital could not move into modern sectors.
- Even the relative success in South India is being attributed to the ‘Vaishya vacuum’ — an absence of traditional merchant castes.
Conclusion
Prejudice on the basis of caste, religion, skin colour, economic background needs to be done away with. We must completely eradicate the “illness” of caste system and adopt a “zero tolerance” approach against prejudice.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the role BIMSTEC can play in the changing geopolitics and if it can be an alternative to SAARC.
Directive:
Comment- here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by mentioning the mandate behind the launch of BIMSTEC.
Body:
First, write the role BIMSTEC can play in the changing geopolitics – BIMSTEC allows the confluence of its Act East and the Neighbourhood Policies, development of ‘Blue Economy’, collaboration on security and communication etc.
Next, give context regarding SAARC and examine if BIMSTEC can be a suitable alternative.
Conclusion:
Conclude writing a balanced opinion.
Introduction
The Bay of Bengal is fast becoming a key area of economic and strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. It’s the largest bay in the world and forms an important part of southern Asia. The limitations of SAARC due to multiple reasons have led to South Asian region being the least integrated region in the world vis-à-vis the European and ASEAN experiences.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a bridge between South Asia and South East Asia. BIMSTEC has gained more favour as the preferred platform for regional cooperation in South Asia
Body
The changing dynamics of the world order
- Admittedly, the world has recently seen the rise of authoritarian rulers in many countries. However, this can hardly be viewed as a new phenomenon.
- The role of China is possibly the most disrupting one, given the challenge it poses to the existing international order.
- Militarily, China is openly challenging U.S. supremacy in many areas, including ‘state-of-the-art weaponry’such as hyper-sonic technology.
- USA’s pivot to Indo-Pacific region has added a new dimension to the world order.
- The other major risk stems from the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine— the latter being backed by the U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
- Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistanhas led to a material shift in the balance of power in an already troubled region on India’s periphery.
- In Central Asia, India will be challenged on how best to manage its traditional friendship with Russiawith the pronounced tilt seen more recently in India-U.S. relations.
- In West Asia, the challenge for India is how to manage its membership of the Second Quad(India, Israel, the UAE and the U.S.) with the conflicting interests of different players in the region.
- Indian diplomacy will be under severe test to manage the extant situation in both regions.
BIMSTEC provides an alternative to SAARC due to the following reasons:
- Connectivity:
- BIMSTEC serves two purposes for India – it makes it easier for India to share a common regional platform with its neighbours in South Asia(sans Pakistan) and secondly, BIMSTEC also establishes a linkage between South and Southeast Asia.
- Urgency of promoting regional and sub-regional cooperationvia BIMSTEC and BBIN has to be seen in the context of China’s BRI and the compelling strategic challenge posed by China’s muscular geo-economic and geo-political interventions in Asia, particularly in India’s neighbourhood.
- The development of the North-eastern region,by opening up to Bangladesh and Myanmar, is another incentive for India.
- Regional Co-operation: Regional cooperation under the ambit of SAARC has become difficult made BIMSTEC more viable:
- Despite India’s keen interest in cooperating and strengthening intra-regional connectivity by backing the SAARC–Motor vehicle agreement, the agreement was stalled following Pakistan’s reluctance.
- Similarly, the SAARC satellite projectthat India proposed was abandoned following objection from Pakistan in 2016
- SAARC has also faced obstacles in the area of security cooperation. A major hindrance in this regard has been the lack of consensus on threat perceptions, since member countries disagree on the idea of threats. Example: cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
- Cordial Relationship:
- The member countries have generally cordial relationships, something patently missing among the SAARC countries.
- BIMSTEC’s major strength comes from the fact that it includes two influential regional powers: Thailand and India.This adds to the comfort of smaller neighbours by reducing the fear of dominance by one big power.
- Economic vistas: As a trade bloc, BIMSTEC provides many opportunities.
- The region has countries with the fastest-growing economies in the world. The combined GDP in the region is around US$2 trillionand will likely grow further.
- Trade among the BIMSTEC member countries reached six percent in just a decade, while in SAARC, it has remained around five percent since its inception.
- Compared to SAARC, BIMSTEC has greater trade potential as well. Among the member countries, India’s intra-BIMSTEC trade is around 3 percent of its total trade.
- BIMSTEC regional grouping happens to have five nations that are also part of SAARC. The fact that this region is growing at 6.5% per annum, collectively comprises of 1.5 billion people, is the drive behind India’s focus being part of BIMSTEC.
However, there are concerns which need to be addressed:
- Infrequency of the BIMSTEC summits, the highest decision-making body of the organisation. In its 20 years of existence, the BIMSTEC summit has taken place only thrice.
- The delay in the adoption of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a framework that was agreed upon in 2004, fuels doubts about BIMSTEC’s efficacy.
- BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement [MVA] is an instrument that was conceived to transform and facilitate trade. It has not yet been completely successful as Bhutan is worried about security and environmental fallout of such an agreement.
- In the latest summit in 2018, it was noted that the Motor Vehicle Agreement and the Coastal Shipping Agreement would still need more time for finalisation.
- Both Thailand and Myanmar are criticised for having ignored BIMSTEC in favour of ASEAN.
- Region lacks physical connectivity. The tri-lateral highway connecting India-Myanmar-Thailand has been a non-starter.
- BIMSTEC has identified 14 priority sectors and has signed an FTA (2004) and a Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking (2009). The pace of implementation has been quite sluggish so far.
Conclusion
Both SAARC and BIMSTEC focus on regions which are geographically overlapping but this does not make them equal alternatives. SAARC is a purely regional organization, whereas BIMSTEC is interregional and connects both South Asia and ASEAN. Hence, SAARC and BIMSTEC complement each other in terms of functions and goals and India has a unique opportunity to connect with ASEAN through 3Cs (Commerce, Culture and Connectivity).
Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Live Mint , Insights on India
Why the question:
The article discusses how India’s manufacturing industry can experience significant growth with the implementation of a digital land acquisition system.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the benefits of digital land acquisition system.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by giving context regarding digital land acquisition system.
Body:
Frist, write about the various issues in land acquisition.
Next, write about steps taken towards digital land acquisition system – Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN), National Generic Document Registry System (NGDRS) and transliterating the land records in any language under Schedule VIII of the Constitution etc.
Next, write about how these steps will provide substantial advantages in land use and economic benefits. Also, write about limitations of the above.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Today, India is one of the fastest growing economies and the growth is more than the world GDP growth. For enabling India to take off one of the key issues is land acquisition for infrastructure development, manufacturing growth and so on. Making land acquisition seamless without dispute or conflict is the key to enable the growth driver.
Body
Various issues in land acquisition
- The Social Impact Assessment was a must for every acquisition in the Act but the mandatory requirement was removed for security, defence, rural infrastructure and industrial corridor projects in the amendment.
- Consent is not mandatory for government projects in the latest amendment. This can result in forceful evictions of land owners, without proper alternate arrangements for their rehabilitation and resettlement.
- Earlier, multi-cropped land could not be acquired for any purpose but according to the latest amendment, even multi-crop irrigated land can be acquired for security and social infrastructure projects.
- It leads to the issue of displacement of locals and even at times cut across ecological sensitive and biodiverse region.
Steps taken towards digital land acquisition system
- The Indian government has made significant strides in digitizing land records and related documentation, which provides a strong foundation for further improvements.
- A unified online portal for land transactions, minimizing the role of intermediaries, can simplify the process significantly.
- Speeding up the land acquisition process is also crucial for operationalizing auctioned mines, thereby ensuring a domestic supply of raw materials for the manufacturing sector.
- The implementation of a digital land sale system, appreciating the importance of speed and scale, would be a significant step forward for the nation.
- The highways ministry has undertaken a massive exercise of hosting digital details of the land of more than 6.45 lakh revenue villages across 668 districts on a portal named Bhoomiraashi or compensation for land acquisition. This will be the one-point platform for online processing of land acquisition and notifications as well.
Conclusion
A good land records and land acquisition system is a necessity for any harmonious and progressive society. It would ultimately lead to an improved land governance system, reduction in land disputes, prevention of Benami transactions and a comprehensive Integrated Land Information Management System in the country, by sharing best practices.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The linked article titled “India as a Quad-led Biomanufacturing Hub” discusses India’s potential to become a major biomanufacturing hub
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the concept of biomanufacturing and its applications and its scope in India.
Directive word:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining biomanufacturing.
Body:
First, write about various applications of biomanufacturing – involves genetic engineering and fermentation to manufacture items like pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and agricultural products.
Next, write about the scope of biomanufacturing in India – potential to become a major biomanufacturing as well as its limitations.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Biomanufacturing is the manufacturing component of the biotechnology industry. It’s the manufacture of products using living systems such as microorganisms, animal cells, or plant cells. These living cells can be naturally occurring or more often they have been genetically engineered to produce the specific substance.
Body
About Biomanufacturing
- Biomanufacturing is the use of biological systems that have been engineered, or that are used outside their natural context, to produce a product.
- Synthetic biology includes two closely related capabilities which may have wide utility in commerce and medicine.
- The first of these capabilities is the creation of new genomes, biological pathways, or organisms not found in nature.
- The second of these capabilities is the redesign of existing genes, cells, or organisms. These capabilities allow for the manufacture of novel products, and also new approaches to existing disciplines (such as gene therapy in healthcare).
- Biomanufacturing and synthetic biology promise tremendous societal benefits. At the same time, they have raised concerns about potential biosafety risks to workers and to society in general.
Scope of biomanufacturing in India
- In 2021-22, the Indian Bioeconomy sector contributed nearly 2.6% share in India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
- Due to the expanding enabling ecosystem, the number of biotech start-ups in the nation has surged from 50 to over 5,300 in the last ten years.
- Biotech start-ups emerging from a robust talent pool are predicted to further double, exceeding more than 10,000 by 2025. In 2021, BT Cotton, Biopesticides, Biostimulants, and Biofertilizers contributed around US$ 10.48 billion to the country’s bioeconomy.
- India was one of the first countries to establish a Biotechnology Department. The Indian biotech industry is expected to grow significantly because of rising economic prosperity, increased health consciousness, and a billion-plus population base.
- In the Union Budget 2023-24, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) was allotted US$ 162.7 million (Rs. 1,345 crore).
- The national initiative “Fostering High Performance Biomanufacturing: An integrated approach towards promoting Circular Economy for Green, Clean and Prosperous India” has been proposed by the Department of Biotechnology.
- This initiative’s foundation is made up of advanced biotechnology tools such as synthetic biology, gene editing, metabolic engineering, and so on.
- It is believed that building a biomanufacturing program’s capacity for synthetic biology requires a robust national infrastructure platform.
Conclusion
Biomanufacturing has enormous potential because it’s flexible to innovation, energy efficient, and produces less pollution. It is vital to develop a national strategy for biomanufacturing advancement in order to improve our country’s scientific and economic competitiveness.
The expansion of start-ups and the advancement of research would be aided by an increase in the number of biotech incubators, which is essential for the success of the Indian biotech industry. The biotechnology industry has the ability to offer a variety of solutions for problems in several fields like health, agriculture, the environment, energy, and industrial processes, mostly because of its multidisciplinary approach.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics – in private and public relationships.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4.
Key Demand of the question:
To form an opinion on ethicality of moonlighting.
Directive:
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining the concept of moonlighting.
Body:
First, give reasons as to why there is need of moonlighting and cite reasons as to why it may be considered ethical.
Next, given reasons as to why moonlighting maybe considered unethical.
Conclusion:
Conclude by giving a balanced opinion the issue.
Introduction
The practice of working for one organisation while also taking up extra responsibilities and jobs, typically without the employer’s knowledge, is referred to as moonlighting. It is called so the side employment is typically performed at night or on the weekends. The phrase became well-known when Americans began looking for second jobs in addition to their regular 9-to-5 jobs to supplement their income.
After Wipro, another Indian MNC Infosys has warned of repercussions of moonlighting to their employees.
Body
Need for moonlighting and its ethical basis
- While moonlighting is often considered wrong, “Ethical moonlighting” is a win-win concept in which individuals are able to monetize their skills in more than one placeor role and in the most ethical manner within the data governing principles of such a practice.
- This helps in creating a positive position for all three parties involved: the individual, the primary employer, and the secondary employer that takes the additional services.
- As the pandemic hit in 2020, many gainfully employed professionals lost their jobs at every level—the layoffs were not restricted to fresher’s and middle management,but impacted CxO level roles too.
- Companies downscaled their working staff and even rolled out pay cuts as severe as 60%-75%.
- This left many highly-skilled, experienced and talented professionals with a meagre primary source of income and bills to pay that were aligned with their original salaries.
- The only way to bridge the gap and meet their expenses was totake up a second job.
Ethical issues that may arise
- A person may work more than one job in India without breaking the law.
- However, a person with asimilar set of jobs could give rise to concerns about a violation of confidentiality because many employers include such restrictions in their employment agreements in addition to prohibitions against holding down multiple jobs.
- Eg: Same person working for google and Microsoft and risk of sharing trade secret.
- Moonlighting could be considered cheating if an employee’s contract calls for non-compete and single employment, which is the situation with the majority of conventional employment contracts.
- However, it is not cheating if the employment contracts do not have such a clause or provide relaxations.
Conclusion
No longer a stop-gap measure, many companies and employees have embraced the benefits of moonlighting, as long as it is done ethically. There must be a water-tight contract hiring which can alleviate problems related to confidentiality. This can lead to gig economy for organised sectors too.
Topic: dimensions of ethics;
Difficulty level: Tough
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the nature of moral norms.
Directive:
Critically analyze – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a balanced judgment on the topic.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by explaining moral norms.
Body:
First, explain as to how moral norms are aspirational and prescriptive – contains ideals, principles and policies which are sensitive to positive outcomes, action-based, and focused on what we should do.
Next, explain as to how moral norms are functional and descriptive – people’s beliefs about as values, which actions are right and wrong, and which characteristics of moral agents are virtuous.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a balanced opinion regarding moral norms.
Introduction
Moral norms are an element of social consciousness. Moral norms are aspirational and prescriptive rather than functional and descriptive—they often paint the “what ought to be” rather than the “what is.” Hence morality becomes an impossible expectation while the reality will be immorality. War and violence are considered as immoral. But Russian attack on Ukraine, the mindless killing of civilians and soldiers defies every moral norm. Hence, they remain aspirational.
Body
Moral norms are a kind of standard by which social behavior is evaluated (positively or negatively). Their obligatory or prohibitive force is based on the influences of social thought and of existing habits and traditions.
There is a stark difference between idealism and realism. Idealistic society is almost unattainable. If every human being abides by moral norms, there would be no need for law, police or government. It is for this reason moral norms are termed aspirational. It prescribes a set of rules, standards, values and beliefs that are right. These norms may vary from society to society. Sometimes they may not conform to the law as well. Eg: Taliban’s difficult conditions over women in Afghanistan seems dysfunctional but it emanated from their moral values.
It is for these reasons; moral norms are said to be functional and descriptive. What can be collectively agreed upon as right or wrong. What is justice or fairness in the society is decided by what can be put into practice. That is, in other words functional. For instance, murder is immoral and illegal. It can go one step further and describe it as killing is illegal except when in self defence. Thus, when moral norms become functional (implementable) and descriptive, they generally are more acceptable by people.
Moral behavior is the mean between two extremes – at one end is excess, at the other deficiency. Find a moderate position between those two extremes, and you will be acting morally. Aristotle’s middle path and golden means prescribes the same.
Conclusion
Moral arguments are not won by ascribing moral motives to one side and evil deeds to another. Moral standing is achieved by understanding difficult choices between competing moral claims and recognizing that trade-offs and uneasy compromises are often necessary. Ideal way is not achievable. Hence pragmatism is desiried. This is why Aristotle said, golden means is the best way forward.
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