Moral restraint fails unless social systems structurally uphold it

Evidence

As this book extensively documents, the exercise of morality is not entirely an intrapsychic matter. Morality is socially grounded. Given the many psychosocial devices for disengaging moral self-sanctions, societies cannot rely solely on individuals, however righteous their moral standards. Regardless of the sphere of life, otherwise considerate people can behave cruelly yet retain positive self-regard. To function humanely, societies must establish social systems that uphold compassion and curb cruelty. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2990

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the vault’s social-structural claims about policy and institutions (e.g., CVE funding converting a group into a policing subcontractor; institutions that enable rather than restrain harm). Also aligns with existentialist structuralism claims that ethical life needs external form.