行政人員等公共管理者，不僅影響政治體系的運作與重要議題的排序，無疑是在政府行政運作與公共政策過程中扮演著關鍵性的角色，而成為「行政國守衛者」（the guardians of the administrative state）。然而，如同英國公爵Lord Acton (1887)所指陳之「權力導致腐敗，絕對的權力導致絕對的腐敗」，行政人員在代行行政權力、運用與分配公共資源與提供公共服務之際，是否善盡其管理職責、規劃社會利益和社會負擔的合理分配、有效回應社會價值偏好與人民信任，而體現行政的公共性，成為全球公共治理的重要議題。
也因此，如同古希臘哲人Aristotle「誰來監督護國衛士？」(Who guards the guardians)的疑問，行政部門需要採取哪些措施？如何建立或改革哪些內在、外在控制的機制？這些都不是憑空所能形成，也非輕易即能維持下去，而有賴於公共參與、法律制度規範、整合的組織結構與相關政策的落實，方能建立杜絕貪腐與濫權的廉能政府。
本門課程的目標，即在於協助同學認識與討論公共行政所面對之多元價值的分歧與衝突，進而討論行政倫理的意涵、不同層次的倫理範疇、對公共行政行為的影響與制約作用，以及如何規範與組織制度相聯繫的倫理原則和行為準則，期能促使同學進一步深入理解、自覺與培養對行政倫理的信念。

Public managers such as administrators not only influence the operation of the political system and the ranking of important issues, they undoubtedly play a key role in the government's administrative operations and public policy processes, and have become "the guardians of the administrative state". However, as the British Duke Lord Acton (1887) pointed out, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." When administrators exercise administrative power, use and allocate public resources, and provide public services, whether they fulfill their management responsibilities, plan the reasonable distribution of social benefits and social burdens, and effectively respond to social value preferences and people's trust, so as to reflect the public nature of administration, has become an important issue in global public governance.
Therefore, as the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle asked, "Who guards the guardians?", what measures do the administrative departments need to take? How to establish or reform internal and external control mechanisms? These cannot be formed out of thin air, nor can they be maintained easily. They rely on public participation, legal system regulations, integrated organizational structures and the implementation of relevant policies to establish a clean and capable government that eliminates corruption and abuse of power.
The goal of this course is to help students understand and discuss the differences and conflicts of multiple values ​​faced by public administration, and then discuss the meaning of administrative ethics, different levels of ethical categories, the impact and constraints on public administrative behavior, and how to standardize ethical principles and codes of conduct related to organizational systems. It is hoped that it will encourage students to further understand, become conscious, and cultivate their belief in administrative ethics.

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