UBUNTU ETHICS

“Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” translates to “I am because we are” in Xhosa. It essentially sums up the moral philosophical idea of Ubuntu ethics.

Ubuntu ethics preaches the idea that an individual’s humanity and identity are tied to their personal relationships with other people. Thus, because one person is so tied to their community and others, they believe that morality is also dependent on these characteristics. Essentially, Ubuntu ethics believe that the group relationship is invaluable when it comes to evaluating an individual's actions.

Let’s go over the 4 key ideas of Ubuntu ethics. The first is that someone only becomes fulfilled after nurturing personal relationships and acting in a group. The second is that an individual’s moral duty is not just to prevent or avoid harm, but also to uplift other individuals in their community and group. The third is that punishment is immoral in relation to reconciliation. The final one is that someone’s morality is measured by how kind, empathetic, and generous they are.

Here are some practical scenarios that Ubuntu ethics can be applied to. As I said earlier, Ubuntu ethics isn’t fond of punishment; thus, when it comes to the justice system, Ubuntu favors restorative justice: a system where the offenders should reconcile with the victim and the community. The second is leadership: since Ubuntu ethics is focused on the idea of community, a leader must seek group consensus and listen to everyone’s voice. Finally, when it comes to wealth, Ubuntu ethics again prioritizes community and would encourage individuals to give their money to the community.

Let’s go over some common critiques and challenges of Ubuntu ethics. Some argue that the emphasis on being in a community might pressure others to conform to a community and not be able to express themselves as a unique individual. Others also argue that Ubuntu can’t be applied to many contexts as some don’t rely on communities and don’t even have proper boundaries between communities, thus making it difficult to even distinguish one from the other. Therefore, the line becomes blurred regarding which communities one should support. Finally, some argue that similar to indistinguishable communities, some societies are rapidly changing, meaning that again, one can’t figure out what community they should give to.

In summation, Ubuntu ethics emphasizes the character of an individual in relation with their community. It also doesn’t have rigid moral structures to evaluate actions. Instead, it is more of a fluid system.