If this text had been written a hundred years ago it would have had little to sa

If this text had been written a hundred years ago it would have had little to say about federal government regulation. Today in contrast just about every area of economic activity is regulated by the government. Ethical issues in government regulation arise because regulation by its very nature means that some traditional rights and freedoms must be given up to ensure that other rights and freedoms are protected. Essentially government regulation brings two ethical principles into conflict. On the one hand deeply embedded in American culture is the idea that the government should play a limited role in directing our lives. On the other hand one of the basic functions of government is to protect the welfare of individuals and the environment in which they live. Ultimately almost every law or rule regulating business represents a decision to give up certain rights in order to protect other perceived rights. In this Focus on Ethics feature we look at some of the ethical aspects of government regulation.