The Face Of A Good Citizen

The status of citizen is not only defined by a legal perspective, by having a nationality and possessing civic or political rights; it is also defined today by the act of participating and being an assertive citizen, who is concerned with others. Though a citizen may choose to participate or on the contrary choose not to participate in public life, a good citizen in our society has an essential role to play. By participating in the nation’s political life, a citizen makes a major contribution for the society. By voting or by being an active supporter during elections a good citizen can change a ruler, confirm or discredit his legitimacy, and shape the broad guidelines of national policy. Likewise, outside of elections, a good citizen who is socially concerned, and worries about the welfare of others can on a daily basis mark his point of view over a subject, and help to change the lives of other citizens. Thus, being a good citizen involves different aspects of citizenship, and takes different forms in life. Three of the most important aspects of citizenship today, are described by the author Russell J. Dalton in his book The Good Citizen. The first norm that Dalton emphasizes is public participation, which consists of citizen participation in political decision making; the second norm is social participation which includes a concern for other citizens; and finally the last norm is the acceptance of the authority of the state, which emphasizes the importance of state sovereignty.

Participation is a central issue for democratic citizenship that can be defined in many different ways, and citizens can participate in political, or social life using different means (Dalton 22). Indeed many questions arise concerning the ways a citizen has, and is participating nowadays. Public participation and political decision making is the pillar on which the American democratic nation is built (Dalton 22). Thus the involvement, and active participation in public life is a major aspect of the good citizen. When we ask the question of how citizens can intervene directly in public affairs and policy making, the first thing we immediately think of is the right to vote. The right to vote is indeed one way to express ideas, and opinions about matters of great importance. To emphasize, and assert an opinion, and to express agreement, or disagreement over the behavior of different political organizations, the citizen has to go on the day of election and just vote. The citizen has to vote for the welfare of the state, because without participation, the link binding, and uniting the citizen to the state is lost; the citizen is not able to contribute, and make his/her opinion worthwhile. Instead of being just spectators, observers, witnesses, citizens have to be the participants of public life, an everyday changing spectacle where everything depends on the actors, and in this case the good citizens; the one’s who define the face of the state for future generations.

While participation through voting is fading, social participation is emerging in the lives of modern citizens. Currently a different citizen is starting to emerge, a more moral, and empathetic citizen, a citizen more concerned with the welfare of other citizens, and available for the one’s who need help. Social participation in that way stresses change, but a different

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