What does it mean to have moral obligations? An unethical society would likely mock or ridicule the suggestion of morals, morality or moral obligations. Thus, it may appear that in an unethical society, there are no moral obligations, but that is not entirely true.

Dictionary.com suggests, “Morals are pertaining to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical: moral attitudes.”

What are ethics?

Dictionary.com suggests ethics refers to “a system of moral principles: the ethics of a culture” or “the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.”

Ethical codes of conduct are guidelines or rules that govern a society based upon its degree of moral standards. To clarify this further, what does it mean to have an unethical society? When there is no observation of moral codes, a society becomes unethical in its conduct.

Unwritten ethical codes and ethical conduct are part of every society, even in what appears to be unethical societies. If that were not so, human beings could not or would not survive. There are many unwritten moral standards, as well as ethical principles, standards and rules in every society.

Moral codes lay the foundation for ethical conduct that ensures the continuance of life. Adhering to these codes and kind of conduct is something carried out knowingly or unknowingly by those in every society, including unethical societies. One example is that of parents feeding their children. Every society, even an unethical one, seeks to feed its children.   

Consider some other examples.

Look at the word, love. If there were no love, there would be no spousal or familial, inter-personal relationships. Procreation would be less likely other than in terms of violence. Even in what appears to be an unethical society, love exists in a diversity, complexity and multiplicity of expression. For example, husbands love their wives and protect them. Mothers love their children and nurture them. Siblings love each other and look out for one another.  

As unethical as some societies may appear in remote parts of the world, there are societal, moral obligations. Parents have the moral obligation to protect their families from nature’s wrath or wild animals. How they choose to do that may not bear the label of moral. These kinds of moral ties and relationships exist whether comprehended as morals, or not.

Taking it further, even in what appears to be an unethical society without morals as the civilized world understands them there can be a concept of the divine, comprehended in terms of some sort of legalism or law. For example, animism triggers the worship of the divine in rocks. This kind of worship becomes the foundation of the moral acts and sacrificial rituals that unethical societies adhere to, knowingly or unknowingly. Naturism encourages the worship of nature and natural law takes precedence in terms of ethical foundations. Certain animals like cows may be worshiped, as well as protected. Punishment is inevitable when the trust is broken.

Modern day warfare demands moral aspects, even in unethical societies. For example, men and women who are engaged in battle protect each other and their communities. Unwritten moral rules of war may lead to the protection of women and children, rather than slaughtering them en masse.        

Even in modern day, supposed civilized societies, there are violations of moral and ethical codes, including bullying and abuse that takes many different forms, causing those who understand moral codes and ethical conduct to wonder whether civilization is unethical to some extent, in every age.

Note that there are higher morals and ethical codes not evident in unethical societies, but every unethical society has some degree of morals, as well as ethical codes.