Governments and Ethical Responsibility – Your Opinion

A story is described below.  Read this story, then answer the following questions and fulfill all requirements.  Within this assignment, you will identify ethical issues and comment on those issues using your critical thinking skills.

Story:

In 1985, a former Russian KGB agent gave an interview describing how the Russian government goes about brainwashing its own population.  The four phases are demoralization, destabilization, crises, and normalization.  

• In the first phase, the educational system is weakened and the population is fed useless information until it no longer is able to assess the facts.
• Destabilization involves undermining the economy, foreign relations, and the national defense system.
• The crises phase is brought about by a sudden, unexpected, imminent threat.
• In response to the crises, the government puts in place emergency measures after which follows the normalization process, which affirms and institutionalizes the new status quo.

Complete:

Answer the following.

1.  Your first task will be to decide who is ethically responsible to carry out the duties described in the following assignment questions and then explain why.

• Is it the American government’s ethical responsibility to provide for the education — to include developing strong critical thinking skills — of the American people?  Why or why not?
• Is it the American government’s ethical responsibility to ensure the American population has access to full and accurate news and information?  Why or why not?

2.  For this final requirement, be careful not to jump to conclusions.  This assignment challenges students to go beyond using only System-1 thinking.  Use your critical thinking skills and be sure to consider all the possibilities.  Be sure to address the following in your answer: 

• analyze the alternatives
• describe foreseeable consequences
• identify duties and ethical principles that are relevant
• Compare and contrast the Russian KGB agent’s description of how the Russian government might go about brainwashing its population to what you feel is occurring today in America.  Using your answers regarding ethical responsibility from above, describe the similarities and differences between the Russian government’s role in educating and informing its population to what occurs today with the American government’s role in educating and informing its population.

Submit a two-and-a-half (2 1/2) page paper responding to the above.  You must incorporate three quotes and/or paraphrases from our text book, (I can provide quotes and powerpoints from the text book)

 this means your paper will include: a cover sheet, in-text citations, and a reference page.  The cover sheet and Reference Page are not included in the page requirement for this paper.  Proofread your work prior to submission.  Your paper should have a clear introduction, conclusion, and smooth paragraph transitions.  A thesis statement is required.