Why do virtuous individuals accept and promote unethical institutions?

Abstract

This article defines ethical blindness when considering why otherwise virtuous individuals accept unethical institutional practices. It occurs when individuals possessing organisational power over others promote their self-interests to inhibit or deny promoting the common good. Systems science provides a solution for ethical blindness. It explains why living things possess distributed decision-making to maintain a self-governing existence. Checks and balances are introduced to avoid dysfunctional "group think" or intellectual colonisation. Several Australian case studies are presented. A solution that also improves the wellbeing of all citizens by reducing inequality creates a compelling incentive for politicians to act.