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Step1: Evaluate the act using Kant’s categorical imperative
1. State your proposed act as a maxim
:"I will take ZAR….. (A) when I've done a year's work (C) in order to get really, really rich (E).
2. " Restate this maxim as a universal law;"
All people (7 billion of them) will take ZAR … when they've done a year's work in order to get really,
really rich.
"3. Ask whether your maxim is conceivable in a world ruled by the universal law
To begin with, this is inconceivable. Taking it as a rule, the earning of ZAR… , 00 every financial year is
not just inconceivable but immoral as well in a world ruled by this universal law. This will lead to will
lead to people having too much buying power. The repercussions are such that. Everything in the
market place will be wiped out. Every Jack and Jill will now be able to live their wildest dreams selfishly.
During the process, inflation is going to soar up being triggered by an unimaginable excessive demand
which cannot be met. The effect is a ripple action, whereby it puts pressure on resources which will lead
to shortages and eventually a wipe out, starving and possibly leading to death if there is no change.
4. Ask whether you would rationally act on your maxim in such a world,
For the reason that it has failed at Step 3, it cannot be adopted, at least according to Emanuel Kant. The
maxim cannot be adopted in a morally upright way.
I do not think I would still act in a moral way if im given such an opportunity. Naturally, we are selfish by
nature and we tend to become weak in rationality if power increases, especially if its financial power. Its
easy to say I would still want to ensure a happy life for my employees and raise their salaries and so on,
but truth be told: none if not a few will people will do that. I recall the old adage “power corrupts” in
this regard financial power.
Where money is abundantly in excess, rationality and restrain are hardly exercised. One might want to
argue about the presently rich people who have founded some NGO’s to offer donations to the needs
around the world. It sounds quite noble right! But only to those who are ignorant of how such acts can
be done with selfish insidious intentions of attempting tax avoidance to the domestic government and
its local people.(Smith and Khumalo, 2010)
Whenever Bob van Dijk and friends make huge donations it is just a selfish way of trying to get some tax
exemptions from their businesses. According to the Guardian.com website, public schools are
designated as charities by any government of a given country. According to Bloomberg.com people can
get tax exempted on charity donations, many rich people like Bob do make ‘donations’ to some local
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