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The Bystander in Commercial Life: Obliged by Beneficence or Rescue?

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  • Wim Dubbink

    (Tilburg University)

Abstract

Liberalist thinking argues that moral agents have a right (or duty) to pursue an ordinary life. It also insists that moral agent can be bystanders. A bystander is involved with morally bad states of affairs in the sense that they are bound by moral duty, but for a non-blameworthy reason. A common view on the morality of commercial life argues that commercial agents cannot and ought not to assume the status of bystander, when confronted with child labor, pollution, or other overwhelmingly big morally bad states of affairs (oMBS). According to the common view, the agent will get overdemanded. In this paper, the overdemandingness charge is interpreted as a criticism of the liberalist position. According to this charge, bystander status must be given up in the market because otherwise the right (or duty) to pursue a personal life is crushed. In this paper, we demonstrate that the overdemandingness charge fails. It does not make sense if bystander status is grounded in the duty of beneficence. It would make sense if the status were grounded in the duty of rescue but that duty does not apply in relation to oMBS. The condition of ‘subjective urgency’ is not fulfilled. Hence, liberalist thinking can withstand the charge of overdemandingness and commercial agents cannot assume a right never to acknowledge bystander status (on account of the overdemandingness argument).

Suggested Citation

  • Wim Dubbink, 2018. "The Bystander in Commercial Life: Obliged by Beneficence or Rescue?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(1), pages 1-13, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:149:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-016-3109-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-016-3109-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Soule, Edward & Hedahl, Marcus & Dienhart, John, 2009. "Principles of Managerial Moral Responsibility," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 19(4), pages 529-552, October.
    2. Dunfee, Thomas W., 2006. "Do Firms with Unique Competencies for Rescuing Victims of Human Catastrophes Have Special Obligations? Corporate Responsibility and the Aids Catastrophe in Sub-Saharan Africa," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(2), pages 185-210, April.
    3. Hsieh, Nien-hê, 2004. "The Obligations of Transnational Corporations: Rawlsian Justice and the Duty of Assistance," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(4), pages 643-661, October.
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    3. Gastón Reyes, 2023. "The All-Stakeholders-Considered Case for Corporate Beneficence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 188(1), pages 37-55, November.

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