Genius Research Paper

Morality of MoneyMoney continues to be an object and concept of interest in society around the world. Money itself has become a symbol of wealth, and serves as the basis for the ambitions of many individuals. However, money has also been seen to conflict with the morals of man, making it a huge point of controversy and debate in society. It is referenced on the bible to be the “root of all evil”, and has been warned against since early civilization. This controversy serves to prompt the question: is money tied to moral corruption?
Money, and the lack thereof, can cause moral corruption. As Brian Werner says, the “perceived lack of money” can put increased pressure on an individual. In thinking that they are in danger of losing their money, individuals may make choices that are hasty, selfish, and overall immoral in order to secure themselves. Werner uses the House of Representatives’ effort to cut food stamps as an example. He explains how the House of Representatives pushed to cut food stamps in order to halt government spending and conserve finances . He states, “This should be seen as a moral decision not to provide food for those that need it. If I have more than enough food but refuse to share it with my starving neighbor, I think most people would consider that immoral. If as a country we can produce plenty of food, but we deny people access to it, is the morality any different?”. Basically, Werner is explaining that if an individual holds the capability to help another, in this case money, and refrains from doing so, then they are immoral.
Contrastly, the lack of money can also cause people to be more moral. Pitesa and Thau form the Association for Psychological Science conducted a study on the morality of those with lower income and found them to make harsher judgments. They explain, “The findings, published in Psychological Science, suggest that individuals with lower incomes are more likely to issue harsher judgments of harmful behavior, like lying or physically attacking someone. Global factors, like the economy, as well as individual factors, such as mood, influence this effect”. Though the term “harsher judgments” gives a negative connotation, it can interpreted differently. Those who judge harsher likely do so because they are more attune to moral principles. Pitesa and Thau also claim, “Thus, coming down hard on wrongdoers may be a protective mechanism for people who feel vulnerable due to a lack material resources, shielding them from potential harm”. This is logical, as those with less money may retain insecurities because of their poor financial state, however, because wealthier people do not need this defense mechanism, they are less likely to be harsh toward wrongdoers, and can be seen as less moral. Their financial stability safeguards them from these insecurities, leading them to be possibly more careless and overall, less moral.
The pursuit of money has taken precedence over moral values, and “ethics, morals and human dignity are all secondary and subservient to the profit margin”. This greed has driven individuals to cast out their morals for the sake of profit, and can easily be seen in history. Nelson Jones supports this,pointing out, “But then to talk about the 18th century is to realise just how much more thoroughgoing the marketisation of society used to be. From the horrors of the slave-trade and the near-slavery of indentured labour, to the open purchase of Parliamentary seats through ‘rotten boroughs’, almost everything was up for sale”. Jones acknowledges that humans have even exploited other humans for the sake of profit, and though this clearly immoral practice has been ended, society’s greed still pushes it to commit corrupt actions to satisfy said greed. Humanity has thoughtlessly cut down rainforests and exploited areas for purposes of expansion and wealth, which takes a toll on the environment. For example, following the Civil War, the United States focused largely on expanding westward for expansion and commercial purposes. In doing so, the Native American population was severely crippled due to conflicts with Americans and due to the extermination of buffalo to clear land for railroad construction. The U.S., driven by their desire for wealth and prosperity, careless killed thousands of Native Americans, which is clearly immoral, supporting the idea that the pursuit of wealth leads to corruption.
Ultimately, money is clearly tied to moral corruption. The pressures created by money can cause individuals to commit possibly immoral actions. Those with less money are more likely to be more morally attuned due to their lack of financial success, showing that an excess of wealth can lead to moral corruption.