A citizen is a person who belongs to a country and has rights and responsibilities in that country. Citizenship is usually granted by place of birth, nationality of parents or naturalization and comes with certain benefits and obligations.
The definition of citizenship varies from nation to nation, but most people believe that a good citizen respects other citizens and helps their community. They also respect the laws of their country and try to live by them. In addition, they care for the natural resources of their country such as land, mountain, river, pond, plants and forest just like they care for their own homes. They pay their taxes at time and don’t support any form of corruption. Moreover, they work to make their country a better place to live.
According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, three-quarters of Americans say it’s very important for a good citizen to always vote. And around seven-in-ten say it’s very important to obey the law and pay taxes. These broad-based civic values, across partisanship and age, suggest that there is essential overlap in what it means to be a good citizen.
This broad agreement may be a welcome relief for those worried that democratic backsliding will lead to a breakdown in civic norms. But it is important to remember that partisan differences remain on many of these questions. For example, Democrats and Republicans have different opinions about what it means to be a good citizen when it comes to volunteering for others (52% of Democrats vs. 35% of Republicans), knowing the Pledge of Allegiance (61% vs. 70%), following what happens in government and politics (69% vs. 71%) and protesting when government actions are thought to be wrong (71% vs. 45%).
In a recent interview, Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said that she thinks it’s important to be a good citizen by voting and participating in civic life, but more importantly, by living as a good person. “I’ve been taught that a good citizen is someone who loves their family and friends, cares for other people, treats all people with dignity and respect and takes an active role in the community,” she says. “Those are the most important things.”
Another way to be a good citizen is to help the poor and needy. Those who do this are a blessing to the society and their neighbors. They do it with a loving heart and give back to the society as much as they can. They also try to preserve natural resources like the environment, water and electricity for future generations.
They also help other citizens to get their work done in a timely manner. They care for their country’s cleanliness. They protect the health and safety of their neighbors. And they promote the local economy by shopping and supporting the local businesses and artisans. By doing this they create a sense of connection with their neighbors. They encourage their community to be healthy, physically, emotionally and spiritually.