Indeed, Warburg placed as much emphasis on moral standing as he did on capital or connections.

ECONOMIST: Siegmund Warburg

Who in the world today has the moral standing and the practical ability to take meaningful action?

CNN: Obama, failing on moral leadership?

For the U.S., the appropriate rhetoric is that of Islam itself, pronounced by faithful Muslims with sufficient moral standing.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: A model fatwa

Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan all improved their moral standing by appearing in public beside her.

ECONOMIST: Mother Teresa | The

But animals have real moral standing, and they're a real responsibility once you've let one into your life, and you can't so casually think about killing a dog.

NPR: The Ethicist: Weighing a Canine Conundrum

For example, under Rand's schema would a person who abandons some passion in order to look after an elderly parent have a higher or lower moral standing than someone who doesn't (assuming that the parents are equally worthy)?

FORBES: Uncommon Sense

And otherwise moral men and women simply ignore evil when they believe their interests are best served by not standing up to it.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Competing visions of "Never Again"