The elders are in control of all aspects of life, but where do they get their ethics and morality from in The Giver?

The community’s ethics come from tradition and from The Receiver’s advice.

Ethics refers to proper behavior.  In Jonas’s community, most of the rules of ethics and morality are imposed on the citizens.  Children are socialized from a young age to what the community views as proper behavior.  This behavior is based on tradition, largely tied to the concept of Sameness.  Sameness is crucial to the community’s moral code.

Some elements of ethical behavior include following all rules and laws, and an appreciation for the consequences of not following them.  All parents are required to teach their children how to behave in the community so they do not draw shame upon themselves.  For example, lying is not allowed.  Neither is calling attention to oneself.  Everything is for the good of the community.

Jonas describes a child named Fritz, who does not fit into the community’s perfect mold.

His transgressions were small ones, always: shoes on the wrong feet, schoolwork misplaced, failure to study adequately for a quiz. But each such error reflected negatively on his parents' guidance and infringed on the community's sense of order and success. (Ch. 6) 

There is also the description of Asher being beaten as a toddler for not using the right word for “snack.”  Asher was so traumatized that he stopped talking altogether.  Clearly, the community will go to great lengths to impose order on its citizens.  It is not considered wrong to beat children, or the elderly.

In Jonas’s community, it is considered wrong to not fit in.  The moral code centers on not drawing attention to yourself or anyone else.  Interestingly enough, they do not have an ethical problem with killing anyone that does not fit into their vision.  Anyone who breaks the rules or does not comply is released.  Even babies are released if they do not conform to certain growth and development standards. 

The community elders do occasionally ask the Receiver of Memory to advise them.  This is because he or she contains all of the community’s memories and history.  The citizens of the community do not have access to books and are not taught history, so only the Receiver can advise them. 

"...And when I am called by the Committee of Elders, I appear before them, to give them counsel and advice."

"Do you advise them often?" Jonas was a little frightened at the thought that one day he would be the one to advise the ruling body. (Ch. 13)  

The Giver tells Jonas that the community’s elders rarely ask for his advice, and do so only with “something that they have not experienced before.”  The community functions like a well-oiled machine.  Disruption in routines and procedures is rare.  Also, they do not have to take the Receiver’s advice.  The Giver tells Jonas that power is different from honor.  

Many things that we consider unethical or immoral are built into community life.  For example, we consider it immoral to kill babies.  We also do not approve of killing the elderly.  These are common and expected in Jonas’s community.  People do not see them as wrong.  They do not even really know what is going on.  It is not until Jonas learns about other ways through the memories that he understands that release is wrong.