UPSC Mains 2017 GS Paper 4 Q7a: model answer
The crisis of ethical values in modern times is traced to a narrow perception of the good life. Discuss.
What the question wants
Discuss how a narrow view of the good life, focused on wealth and pleasure, lies behind today's crisis of ethical values.
How to structure it
Narrow vs broad good life, consequences, remedy.
- What 'good life' means
- Narrow perception
- Effects
- Broader view
How to think it through
Narrow: consumerism, material success, status, instant gratification; 'more is better'. Effects: corruption, competition at any cost, environmental destruction, loneliness, mental health, exam cheating, unethical business. Broader: Aristotle eudaimonia, purushartha (dharma, artha, kama, moksha—artha and kama within dharma), Gandhi 'earth provides enough for need not greed'. Remedy: value education, role models, balanced success measures.
Model answer
In Indian thought, the purusharthas describe four goals of life: dharma (duty), artha (wealth), kama (desire) and moksha (liberation). Wealth and pleasure were never rejected, but they were meant to be pursued within dharma. Today the order has often been reversed.
The narrow perception of the good life
- Success is measured by money, status and possessions.
- Consumerism says happiness is the next purchase.
- Instant results are valued over long effort.
How this causes an ethical crisis
- Corruption: if wealth is the goal, any route seems fine.
- Cut-throat competition: exam paper leaks and cheating.
- Business scandals that hide losses to keep share prices high.
- Environmental damage from endless consumption.
- Loneliness and stress despite comfort.
- Neglect of duty to family, society and the poor.
A broader view of the good life
- Aristotle's flourishing through virtue.
- Gandhi's warning that the earth has enough for need, not greed.
- Success that includes character, relationships and service.
What helps
- Value education and role models who live simply.
- Measures of progress beyond GDP.
When we shrink the idea of a good life to a bank balance, we shrink ourselves.
Draw: A wheel of four purusharthas, with dharma at the hub.
Keywords, cases and data to drop in
purusharthas, dharma, artha, kama, moksha, consumerism, instant gratification, corruption, paper leaks, Aristotle flourishing, Gandhi need vs greed, value education.
Where most answers lose marks
- Condemning wealth itself; the issue is a narrow view, not wealth.
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Fresh examples from current affairs
Supreme Court: no prior approval under Section 17A needed to probe a bribe demand
In a judgment of 16 October 2026, a Supreme Court Bench of Justices S.V.N. Bhatti and N.V. Anjaria held that investigating a bribe demand by a public servant does not need prior approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Asking for a bribe, the court said, is not part of discharging official duties.
UPSC angle: Prelims: Sections 7, 7A, 17A and 19 of the PC Act. · Mains GS-II/GS-IV: honest officers versus accountability.
19 Oct 2026Learn the concept
Question text as printed in the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) question paper. The model answer is original Battle IAS work; use it to learn structure, not to memorise.
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