What Is Good Citizenship?

There are many views as to what comprises good citizenship, but it is generally defined as the state of properly fulfilling the role that a citizen is assigned to as a member of society. This role involves duties and responsibilities which may be expressed through laws and regulations or implied through the recognition of right and wrong inherent in every human being. Citizenship, in its general sense, is the state of being a member in a political community, acquiring the privileges and the responsibilities of such citizenship. Particular emphasis must be made on the fact that citizenship is a privilege, and thus its grant is left to the discretion of the state whose citizenship is being sought. Good citizenship lies mostly in the recognition that members of a community must work together to improve their lives and enhance their relationship with one another. Thus, essential factors toward achieving this include doing volunteer work, initiating community programs, and participating in economic affairs. Some countries recognize the importance of knowing and understanding what good citizenship entails and have created citizenship education programs. Education is considered a requirement for good citizenship, because it helps people exercise good judgment, especially in the face of those who would try to mislead them. Good citizens are an indispensable part of a progressive state. Under the social contract theory, a government is established to manage interaction among citizens, define an individuals rights, enforce these rights, and make sure just compensation is obtained when these rights are violated; in turn, the citizens hand over to the government the powers that may limit some freedoms. The purpose of this social contract is to avoid chaos in a community, which is possible without good leadership. From this leadership arises good citizenship, allowing every citizen to expect others to accord respect for his/her legally demandable rights. There are many characteristics of good citizenship, but the most basic of them all is the moral duty to recognize the rights of others and take care not to infringe upon them. Another important characteristic is the ability to listen to the views of others, for from these views may spring solutions to problems deliberated upon by the community. A good citizen is also willing to learn and adapt to new situations, as well as make quick decisions in matters that need immediate attention. Furthermore, a good citizen knows and obeys the laws of the land, for he acknowledges that laws are promulgated with his welfare in mind. Because of these factors, good citizenship is said to utilize both the intellectual and social skills of a citizen. Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizenship http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/citizenship/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_citizenship http://www.technologystudent.com/pse1/citiz3.htm

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