A citizen is a person who is a legal member of a particular country or state, having the rights and obligations that come with it. In modern times, citizenship usually means the right to vote and to hold public office, as well as the obligation to defend the rights of fellow citizens. Citizenship can be acquired through birth within the territory of a nation, descent from a citizen parent, marriage to a citizen, or naturalization. Citizenship is one of the most important aspects of a democratic society and is often considered a fundamental human right, with the right to live free from oppressive regimes being an essential component.
The term citizen is related to the concept of community, with people interacting within a nation in many ways that benefit the entire community. For example, supporting local business and artisans helps stimulate the economy, while providing a sense of community connectedness and pride. In addition, buying locally grown produce and meats helps to reduce the carbon footprint of the food chain.
Another way to be a good citizen is by giving back to the community through volunteerism. By helping out with things like cleaning beaches, roads and parks, helping neighbors, and even offering up your time to serve on a jury, you are being a good citizen and contributing to the welfare of your community.
Generally, a good citizen is someone who participates in the political life of their nation. This includes being active in civic organizations, voting and taking part in debates, and getting to know their nation’s history, government structure and the issues it currently faces. It also involves becoming knowledgeable about politics and current events, reading various news sources, and studying political philosophy such as Rawls’ A Theory of Justice or Plato’s The Republic.
When asked to list traits of a good citizen, respondents to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center came up with a long list. However, the most common answer was voting, with more than eight-in-ten saying it is very important to be a good citizen by doing this. Other highly rated behaviors include paying taxes, obeying the law and playing an active role in the community.
While it may be easy to focus on just the positives of being a good citizen, the reality is that it is often challenging to do so, and there is a risk of falling into apathy. For this reason, it is crucial that individuals make an effort to keep their civic engagement high, no matter the current political climate. By doing so, they can ensure that their country and its people are being served to the best of their abilities.