Two former prime ministers, the central bank governor, and the federal commissioner for migration stood accused by prosecutors in the E.U. state of Greece of receiving bribes from Novatis “in exchange for fixing the price of its medicines at artificially high levels and increasing” the company’s access in the state.[1] The state legislature voted in February, 2018 to investigate the accusations and to vote by secret ballot at the conclusion of the investigation on whether to revoke immunity, which would be necessary for any of the accused to be indicted. The prime minister at the time, Alexis Tsipras, said, “Those who enriched themselves from human pain must suffer the consequences.”[2] This statement reveals an ethical truism of sorts—namely, that people who knowingly cause others pain should suffer. It is right, in other words, that they suffer.
The full essay is at "Novartis and Politicians: On the Ethics of Suffering."
For more on unethical business, see Cases of Unethical Business
For more on unethical business, see Cases of Unethical Business
1. Nici Kitsantonis, “Did Novartis Bribe 10 Politicians? Greece Approves an Investigation,” The New York Times, February 23, 2018.
2. Ibid.
