Pragmatism Needs Fairness To Be Statesmanlike
Morality is being concerned about the wellbeing of others and ensuring the common good which is what the government needs to work on. The philosopher John Locke said, “To love our neighbor as ourselves is such a truth for regulating human society, that by that alone one might determine all the cases in social morality.” The government is vindicating itself in terms of economic success, but not with the common good. The IMF mission has commended the government on its success in meeting its revenue targets. Its senior mission chief for Sri Lanka, Peter Breuer noted “you’re collecting the revenue that’s needed to address the cause of the crisis. So, that really is very good news.” The problem is that the government is being pragmatic but unfair in collecting that revenue in ways that is causing misery to the many but is sparing others, especially those most responsible for putting the country into the predicament it is currently in.