Responsible citizenship

Responsible citizenship is being aware of events that affect one’s community and participating in actions, such as voting, that affect those in the community. It can also be described as civic responsibility. It may include being involved in faith communities, cultural groups, and school systems in a neighborhood. It also involves supporting government, law enforcement, and the court systems by, for example, performing jury duty, running for office, and obeying the laws.

Responsible citizenship has different significance in some countries and cultures. In the Netherlands, for example, citizen participation is emphasized and may include volunteering in one’s community, cleaning litter, or forming collectives to purchase items that benefit the neighborhood, such as solar panels. The government is expected to respond and support these efforts. Citizenship is not required for responsible citizenship, although it is necessary for full participation because non-citizens are not eligible to vote or hold public office, among other actions.

Background

Citizenship is a concept that dates back to Ancient Greece. The term describes the relationship between an individual and a state; the state offers citizens protection, while the citizens owe their loyalty to the state. Citizenship, therefore, provides both freedoms and duties, which individuals are expected to honor. Non-citizens, on the other hand, are denied some rights and responsibilities or only have limited access to them.

Greek city-states, or polis, included many levels of society with varying rights and responsibilities. Free male citizens included landed aristocrats, middle-class artisans and traders, and the poorer farmers. Semi-free laborers included men and women. Women belonged to the same social groups as men but did not have the rights of citizens. Enslaved peoples performed civil or military duties. In addition, non-residents and foreign residents were of lower status than native male citizens.

The landed aristocrats held the most power. They owned the best, most productive land and had the most wealth. Many of the aristocratic families also held the most important political positions, which were controlled by clans. Other landowners had less valuable land, and their properties were often far from the protection of the city walls, so the farmers often had to live on their land rather than in the city. They might live in clusters of houses situated to provide mutual protection. The other male group, the middle class, included the newly wealthy who engaged in commerce, manufacturing, and trade. While they could become wealthy, they were excluded from positions of political power by the clout of the clans, who ensured only landowners could hold these titles. Individuals who gained wealth or power could rise in status, while those who became bankrupt could lose status and even citizenship. Such loss of status could be due to illness, political power changes, war, or the loss of an inheritance and could affect even members of the highest level of aristocracy.

Most female citizens of Ancient Greece had few rights and spent most of their time at home, caring for children or performing weaving and other work. They could not own land, inherit, or vote. Spartan women were able to own land, however, and like men, were expected to participate in physical training.

Ancient Greeks tried various forms of government, including monarchy and, particularly in Athens, democracy. Under the latter, at least in theory, male citizens had the right to vote. Under some systems, all male citizens aged eighteen years or older could speak and vote in the assembly at Athens; however, historians believe fewer than one hundred citizens held that power at any time.

Overview

Citizens have both rights and responsibilities. These responsibilities include supporting and defending the nation and often the constitution; participating in the political process, including voting; staying informed about issues on the local, state, and national levels; respecting and obeying laws; and respecting others’ beliefs, opinions, and rights.

Responsible citizenship in the United States takes many forms. For example, volunteer firefighters and community emergency medical service technicians donate their time and energy, and sometimes their lives, for the common good. They undergo training, commit to ongoing education, and respond to fire and medical emergencies. Elected leaders in many communities serve on city councils, school boards, and other civic bodies on a volunteer basis. These are forms of public service that have been tied to responsible citizenship since before the founding of the nation in the late eighteenth century.

Responsible citizenship took on new challenges in the twentieth century. People formed grassroots movements to advocate for the environment and promote legislation that reduced pollution. Grassroots civil rights movements demonstrated for equality for women and minorities. In the twenty-first century, many young adults formed organizations to advocate for students and seek solutions to school shootings, among other contemporary issues important to youth.

A number of national leaders have spoken about responsible citizenship. President John F. Kennedy famously said in his 1961 inaugural address, “Ask not what your country can do for you… ask what you can do for your country.” He spoke multiple times about the value of public service as well.

Despite the need for responsible citizenship, some statistics indicate fewer people take their duties seriously. For example, the percentage of eligible voters who cast ballots in presidential elections in the United States is much lower than in other developed countries. Around 64 percent of Americans of voting age cast their ballots in the 2024 presidential election. In contrast, in the European Parliamentary elections of 2024, Belgium, where voting is compulsory, had a much higher voter turnout. Voter turnout in the United States was higher prior to 1900, and since 1976, has remained within a range of 8.5 percentage points.

Bibliography

Cartwright, Mark. “Ancient Greek Government.” World History Encyclopedia, 20 Mar. 2018, www.worldhistory.org/Greek‗Government. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

Cartwright, Mark. “Ancient Greek Society.” World History Encyclopedia, 15 May 2018, www.worldhistory.org/article/483/ancient-greek-society. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

“Citizen Participation.” Government of the Netherlands, www.government.nl/topics/active-citizens/citizen-participation. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

DeSilver, Drew. “Turnout in U.S. Has Soared in Recent Elections but by some Measures Still Trails that of Many other Countries.” Pew Research, 1 Nov. 2022, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/05/21/u-s-voter-turnout-trails-most-developed-countries. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

Gill, N. S. “Biography of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, Roman Statesman.” Thought Co., 6 May 2019, www.thoughtco.com/lucius-quinctius-cincinnatus-120932. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

Kronenberg, Alan. “How Many People Didn't Vote in the 2024 Election?” US News and World Report, 15 Nov. 2024, www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2024-11-15/how-many-people-didnt-vote-in-the-2024-election. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

Self, Jennifer. “Civic Responsibility.” Learning to Give, www.learningtogive.org/resources/civic-responsibility. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.