2025 · GS Paper 4 · Q3(c) · 10 marks
What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context? "The strength of a society is not in its laws, but in the morality of its people." – Swami Vivekananda
In short
Vivekananda's quotation means that laws only set a floor of conduct, while a society's real strength lies in the internalised morality of its citizens and officials. India ranked 96 of 180 in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2024 despite an anti-corruption law in force since 1988.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 279 words
Law sets the floor
Law punishes the worst conduct after it occurs, while morality guides everyday choices no inspector sees, so a society cannot be policed into goodness.
Inner over outer control
Kant's autonomy, obeying a moral law one gives oneself rather than fearing a penalty, is self-sustaining in a way fear-driven obedience never is; Ambedkar likewise told the Constituent Assembly in 1948 that constitutional morality must be cultivated.
Gap between law and conduct
The Dowry Prohibition Act has stood since 1961 and the Prevention of Corruption Act since 1988, yet India ranked 96 of 180 in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2024.
Citizen-led change
Indore topped Swachh Survekshan eight years running (2024-25) largely because citizens took up waste segregation at source, showing that habits, not penalties alone, sustain change.
Technology outruns law
Deepfakes and online hate spread faster than rules can be drafted, so the ethics of users and coders is the first defence.
Public service
The Second ARC (2007) urged a code of ethics beyond the code of conduct, because integrity cannot be legislated into an officer.
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Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India23 questions
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Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2025 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.