Politics and Ethics in Professional Planning in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Politics can either be democratic, monarchical, oligarchic or authoritarian. This depends on the rule of the country and its acceptance of the rule. How then do politics and ethics relate? The leaders’ role is to attain and maintain high standards in their private and work lives. This article explores and discusses the argument that politics in Zimbabwe has not only negatively affected planning, but has also had detrimental effects on professional planning ethics. The professional planner's virtues have been compromised in certain situations. It is against the background that politics and planning are interlinked; planning caters for the good of citizens and politics aims at delivering to the people. The article plugs the gap in the literature that professional planning ethics can be eroded or built upon by politics. Evidence points to a few issues: politics can be a hindrance to planning activities because of the differences between politicians and planners; professional planning ethics can be eroded by politics; and planners face a variety of ethical issues due to difference in cultures and values.