'The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas', Ursula K LeGuin

‘The ones who walk away from Omelas’ is a story by the American fiction writer, Ursula K LeGuin. This short work has had a big influence on many people working in social change. It depicts an idyllic city whose happiness and prosperity is contingent upon the perpetual suffering of a single child. While most citizens accept it as a necessary sacrifice for the greater good, some cannot accept this moral cost and choose to leave, walking away into an uncertain future. 

The story provides another lens to explore themes of ethical leadership through, particularly in situations where leaders face difficult choices between the collective benefit and individual rights, and between sticking with flawed stability or stepping in uncertainty. Key connections include:

• Moral boundaries and responsibility: leaders often confront trade-offs and must consider whether certain sacrifices are morally acceptable. Ethical leaders, like those who walk away from Omelas, question and refuse complicity in systemic injustice.
• Individual vs collective good: the story prompts leaders to reflect on systems that harm individuals for the majority’s benefit. Ethical leaders strive to protect all stakeholders, not just the majority.
• Courage to act on principles: the decision of some citizens to walk away represents moral courage - a willingness to stand against an unethical system even without immediate change. Similarly, ethical leaders may take principled stances that involve personal risk or sacrifice.