Societies must build systems that make cruelty difficult, not rely on individual morality

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. Regardless of whether social practices are carried out individually, organizationally, or institutionally, it should be made difficult for people to delete humanity from their actions. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2990

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the diamond-trade extralegal institutions insight: systems discipline behavior where individual character cannot.