Ethical assessment

Ethical assessment: Charles Taylor (1989–2003)

Subject: Charles Taylor

View the Charles Taylor ethical assessment profile

Ethical assessment categories

Ethical score profile

This assessment does not reduce the subject to one moral ranking. Each dimension is scored separately from −100 to +100 and must be read with its evidence and uncertainty.

Scorecard status: Recalculated under multidimensional system

Personal moral conduct
-95.0
Plausible range: -100.0 to -90.0
Rights and dignity
-95.0
Plausible range: -100.0 to -90.0
Nonviolence and harm
-95.0
Plausible range: -100.0 to -90.0
Stewardship of power
-98.0
Plausible range: -100.0 to -93.0
Wisdom and truthfulness
-93.5
Plausible range: -98.5 to -88.5
Consequential legacy
-96.5
Plausible range: -100.0 to -91.5
Severe-harm record
No separate finding recorded
Evidence confidence
A — very high

Scope of assessment

The assessment covers Judicially established assistance to murder, rape, mutilation, enslavement, child recruitment and terror against civilians overwhelmingly dominates the record.

The score evaluates documented public conduct during the stated period. It does not measure inherent human worth, does not constitute a legal verdict and remains open to correction when stronger evidence becomes available.

Reasoned conclusion

Participation in peace agreements and eventual relinquishment of office receive limited credit. However, Judicially established assistance to murder, rape, mutilation, enslavement, child recruitment and terror against civilians overwhelmingly dominates the record.

This assessment presents six separate ethical dimensions rather than one overall moral score. Each result must be read with its evidence, plausible range, confidence, disputes, exclusions, severe-harm findings and sources.

Ethical-domain scores

Domain Score Intensity Confidence
Consequences -95.0 95.0 A — very high
Rights and duties -95.0 95.0 A — very high
Virtue and character -95.0 95.0 A — very high
Intentions -95.0 95.0 A — very high
Care -98.0 98.0 A — very high
Justice -95.0 95.0 A — very high
Wisdom and judgment -92.0 92.0 A — very high
Baseline ethics -98.0 98.0 A — very high

Bipolar ethical variables

Positive pole Negative pole Score Intensity Confidence Reasoning
Human dignity Dehumanisation -98.0 98.0 A — very high Calculated from 1 reviewed evidence item(s) concerning Human dignity and Dehumanisation.
Care Neglect -98.0 98.0 A — very high Calculated from 1 reviewed evidence item(s) concerning Care and Neglect.
Benefit Harm -95.0 95.0 A — very high Calculated from 1 reviewed evidence item(s) concerning Benefit and Harm.
Responsibility Irresponsibility -95.0 95.0 A — very high Calculated from 1 reviewed evidence item(s) concerning Responsibility and Irresponsibility.
Justice Injustice -95.0 95.0 A — very high Calculated from 1 reviewed evidence item(s) concerning Justice and Injustice.
Respect for rights Violation of rights -95.0 95.0 A — very high Calculated from 1 reviewed evidence item(s) concerning Respect for rights and Violation of rights.
Restraint Abuse of power -95.0 95.0 A — very high Calculated from 1 reviewed evidence item(s) concerning Restraint and Abuse of power.
Prudence Recklessness -92.0 92.0 A — very high Calculated from 1 reviewed evidence item(s) concerning Prudence and Recklessness.

Principal positive evidence

Participation in peace agreements and eventual relinquishment of office receive limited credit.

Principal negative evidence

Judicially established assistance to murder, rape, mutilation, enslavement, child recruitment and terror against civilians overwhelmingly dominates the record.

Evidence considered

TAY-C1

Consequences

Judicially established assistance to murder, rape, mutilation, enslavement, child recruitment and terror against civilians overwhelmingly dominates the record. The leadership record produced the assessed balance of public benefit and harm.

Ethical axis
Benefit ↔ Harm
Ethical direction
Negative pole
Evidence status
Verified
Period
1989–2003
Affected scope
Republic of Liberia and Sierra Leone conflict

TAY-R1

Rights and freedom

Judicially established assistance to murder, rape, mutilation, enslavement, child recruitment and terror against civilians overwhelmingly dominates the record. The leadership record is assessed for respect for rights, liberty and political freedom.

Ethical axis
Respect for rights ↔ Violation of rights
Ethical direction
Negative pole
Evidence status
Verified
Period
1989–2003
Affected scope
Republic of Liberia and Sierra Leone conflict

TAY-V1

Use of power

Judicially established assistance to murder, rape, mutilation, enslavement, child recruitment and terror against civilians overwhelmingly dominates the record. The leadership record is assessed for restraint, integrity and abuse of authority.

Ethical axis
Restraint ↔ Abuse of power
Ethical direction
Negative pole
Evidence status
Verified
Period
1989–2003
Affected scope
Republic of Liberia and Sierra Leone conflict

TAY-I1

Intention and responsibility

Judicially established assistance to murder, rape, mutilation, enslavement, child recruitment and terror against civilians overwhelmingly dominates the record. The leadership record is assessed for intention, foreseeability and responsibility.

Ethical axis
Responsibility ↔ Irresponsibility
Ethical direction
Negative pole
Evidence status
Verified
Period
1989–2003
Affected scope
Republic of Liberia and Sierra Leone conflict

TAY-CA1

Care for affected people

Judicially established assistance to murder, rape, mutilation, enslavement, child recruitment and terror against civilians overwhelmingly dominates the record. The leadership record is assessed for protection, compassion and neglect of those harmed.

Ethical axis
Care ↔ Neglect
Ethical direction
Negative pole
Evidence status
Verified
Period
1989–2003
Affected scope
Republic of Liberia and Sierra Leone conflict

TAY-J1

Justice and accountability

Judicially established assistance to murder, rape, mutilation, enslavement, child recruitment and terror against civilians overwhelmingly dominates the record. The leadership record is assessed for fairness, proportionality and accountability.

Ethical axis
Justice ↔ Injustice
Ethical direction
Negative pole
Evidence status
Verified
Period
1989–2003
Affected scope
Republic of Liberia and Sierra Leone conflict

TAY-W1

Judgment and foresight

Judicially established assistance to murder, rape, mutilation, enslavement, child recruitment and terror against civilians overwhelmingly dominates the record. The leadership record is assessed for prudence, evidence and foreseeable strategic risk.

Ethical axis
Prudence ↔ Recklessness
Ethical direction
Negative pole
Evidence status
Verified
Period
1989–2003
Affected scope
Republic of Liberia and Sierra Leone conflict

TAY-B1

Human dignity

Judicially established assistance to murder, rape, mutilation, enslavement, child recruitment and terror against civilians overwhelmingly dominates the record. The leadership record is assessed against elementary respect for life and equal human dignity.

Ethical axis
Human dignity ↔ Dehumanisation
Ethical direction
Negative pole
Evidence status
Verified
Period
1989–2003
Affected scope
Republic of Liberia and Sierra Leone conflict

Disputed claims

Responsibility is attributed only where supported by reliable historical, judicial or official evidence. Allegations are distinguished from final convictions.

Excluded claims

Unsupported allegations and conduct not reasonably attributable to the subject were excluded.

Sources

  1. Appeals Judgment: Prosecutor v. Charles Ghankay Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2013) Evidence item TAY-B1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  2. Charles Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2022) Evidence item TAY-B1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  3. Taylor Sentencing Judgement — Special Court for Sierra Leone (2012) Evidence item TAY-B1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  4. Appeals Judgment: Prosecutor v. Charles Ghankay Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2013) Evidence item TAY-C1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  5. Charles Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2022) Evidence item TAY-C1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  6. Taylor Sentencing Judgement — Special Court for Sierra Leone (2012) Evidence item TAY-C1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  7. Appeals Judgment: Prosecutor v. Charles Ghankay Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2013) Evidence item TAY-CA1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  8. Charles Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2022) Evidence item TAY-CA1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  9. Taylor Sentencing Judgement — Special Court for Sierra Leone (2012) Evidence item TAY-CA1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  10. Appeals Judgment: Prosecutor v. Charles Ghankay Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2013) Evidence item TAY-I1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  11. Charles Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2022) Evidence item TAY-I1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  12. Taylor Sentencing Judgement — Special Court for Sierra Leone (2012) Evidence item TAY-I1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  13. Appeals Judgment: Prosecutor v. Charles Ghankay Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2013) Evidence item TAY-J1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  14. Charles Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2022) Evidence item TAY-J1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  15. Taylor Sentencing Judgement — Special Court for Sierra Leone (2012) Evidence item TAY-J1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  16. Appeals Judgment: Prosecutor v. Charles Ghankay Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2013) Evidence item TAY-R1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  17. Charles Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2022) Evidence item TAY-R1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  18. Taylor Sentencing Judgement — Special Court for Sierra Leone (2012) Evidence item TAY-R1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  19. Appeals Judgment: Prosecutor v. Charles Ghankay Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2013) Evidence item TAY-V1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  20. Charles Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2022) Evidence item TAY-V1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  21. Taylor Sentencing Judgement — Special Court for Sierra Leone (2012) Evidence item TAY-V1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  22. Appeals Judgment: Prosecutor v. Charles Ghankay Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2013) Evidence item TAY-W1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  23. Charles Taylor — Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (2022) Evidence item TAY-W1; Supports the evidence item. View source
  24. Taylor Sentencing Judgement — Special Court for Sierra Leone (2012) Evidence item TAY-W1; Supports the evidence item. View source

Correction history

No corrections have been recorded.

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