essay on the role of citizens

Role of the Citizens Essay

Introduction, jeanne rousseau, karl heinrich marx, comparison between marx and rousseau on the role of citizens, works cited.

Being a member of a particular state or country provides an individual with rights as well as responsibilities. This means that just as much as an individual expects the government to perform its duties, the same is expected of them.

Famous philosophers have delved into this issue over the past centuries dating back to human existence all in the view of exploring the interaction and relationship between the state and the people. Overtime, most philosophers have influenced the role of politics and intellectual thought with some of their theories and school of thought going a notch higher to become the foundation of modern day democracies and states.

This paper has particularly focused on two famous philosophers whose ideas still proliferate and apply in the modern society. These are Karl Marx, the father of socialism and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whose famous work ‘The Social Contract’ has been the basis for democracy and the will of the people.

‘Men are born free, yet everywhere they are in chains’. These are famous words from his widely acclaimed work, ‘The Social Contract’. Rousseau was of the opinion that the civil society has failed to bestow upon human beings their natural birthright to freedom but has rather confined them to the false sense of security from the state.

According to Rousseau, the citizens are a collective grouping which general views resonate loud in the political sphere of the state and are supposed to uphold the greater aspect of representing the general will of the people. It occurs when human beings as individuals hold dissimilar views and desires respective to their personal positions but the sovereign carry the day, representing the general will of all the people.

Rousseau therefore proposed means by which the awareness of the general will would be achieved and this would be through the convening of the sovereign in regular periodic assemblies (Simon 76). This would be done individually or through the elected representatives of the sovereign as reflected in most modern democracies.

Therefore, with reference to his definition of the sovereign and the general will, Rousseau was of the opinion that citizens had the obligation to attend the assemblies organized in order to deliberate upon their current state, proposing ways and means of improving their lives as citizens and also to ensure that the general will of the people was respected and achieved by the state. This goes further in indicating one important role of citizens, that of voting.

According to Simon (308), voting or the electoral process is the benchmark used to determ the democratic state of the country. The outcome of this process should reflect the general will of the people. Citizens therefore have the customary duty of voting on issues that require a general decision, such as during referendums, as well as electing suitable representatives who would properly represent them in the national arena ensuring their voices are heard.

Rousseau concurs with Simon’s view and indicates that it is crucial that human beings exercise their independence by going to such gatherings, for whenever they break the trend, or the elected representatives fail to do so in their place, their independence is lost.

Blais & Moore (P 431) are also of the opinion that resonates well with Rousseau and Simon’s view that of the popular undertaking where the government usually goes against the general wills of the people hence the need for constantly surveying the government’s actions. This explains the existence of a frictional relationship between the sovereign and the government.

All in all, Rousseau aim to make society as democratic as possible has played a determining role in the evolution and development of democracy in modern states. Furthermore, his discussions of the courts influenced the structure of checks and balances preserved in the instituting papers of the United States.

Marx, a famous philosopher of the 19 th century is known today as the father of socialism (Dick, Blais and Moore 377). Some of his works and ideas were influenced by Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s but differ greatly particularly where the state and the role of citizens is concerned.

His work and ideas are mainly based on the medieval age, where the segregation of society was not due to differences in culture, race, creed or color but rather due to class differences. These differences did not arise due to income or status but rather due to property. He classifies society based on the three main classes discussed below:

• Bourgeoisie- this represented the owners of the means of production such as machinery and was the first class in the society’s class tier. Their main source of income was profit.
• Landowners- just like the title depicts, these were land owners, a valuable means of production and they took second place. Their income was from rent.
• Proletariat- these were the last grouping in the social structure. They were comprised of the peasants who sold their labour for a wage.

Marx felt strongly against the selling of labour for wages as it tended to distinguish the individual from his/her real being or nature, an aspect he referred to as commodity fetishism. The role of citizens of the state was therefore in accordance with the place in the social structure as indicated above. For instance, it was a common belief that political power was determined by power over production. The role of the bourgeois class therefore was to use this power, vested upon them in virtue of their power over production (capital).

Marx’s time was characterized by the rise of capitalism, practiced by capitalists, whom he described as vampires sucking workers’ blood. He was a widely acclaimed critique of capitalism and a protagonist of socialism and proposed a communist society that would replace the capitalistic one.

He viewed socialism as the means to achieve development without the exploitation of the workers (Berlin 249). Marx proposed a new society where capitalism would end through the organized actions of an international working class and individuals would be in a position to act short of being restricted by the labor market authorities.

Similarities

According to Garsten (p 430), although the two philosophers differ in means of approach and methods, they agree on the following:

Both philosophers deliberate on the issue of inequality. Rousseau advocates for the establishment of a regime that will arbitrate problems associated with disparity in community. Marx is of the opinion that class division in assets should be eliminated through the communal possession of production means.

Both focused on the requirements of the society and not personal wants.

Differences

Rousseau was of the opinion that the existence of the government was due to the need to conduct the executive duty of imposing laws and overseeing the day-to-day functioning of the state (Workler & Gorsten 248). Marx, on the other hand, theorizes on the collapse of the government or the state in general due to the revolt of the international working class.

According to Marx, political power is determined by the power of production, meaning that the more means of production one had, the greater was the power. Rousseau however indicates that the political power of the state rests with the people as they reflect the general will of the sovereign.

Marx views the society as being segregated on the basis of social classes. Rousseau, on the other hand, views society as comprised of a collective unit of people whose general will surpasses the will of the individual.

They also differ on the areas in society where change is needed. For Rousseau, it was the political realm that needed change whereas for Marx, it was the radicalization of economy that would eventually do away with inequality.

‘Brothers, we all belong to one family; we are all children of the Great Spirit; we walk the same path; slake our thirst at the same spring; and now affairs of the greatest concern lead us to smoke the pipe around the same council fire’ (Reisert 65).

This represents a part of Tecumseh’s speech, an iconic Indian leader who strived for an independent native Indian state. He advocates for unity to achieve a common goal, that of protecting the Indian territory from encroachment by foreigners. Marx and Rousseau would agree with Tecumseh’s views since both are advocates of unity and equality.

Berlin, Isaiah. Karl Marx: His life and environment . New York: Sage Publishers, 1978. Print.

Dick, James, Jeffrey Blais and Peter Moore. Civics and government . New York: McGraw-Hill publishers, 1996. Print.

Reisert, Joseph. Jean-Jacques Rousseau: A friend of virtue . New York: Oxford Publishers, 2003. Print.

Simon, Thomas . Democracy and social injustice: Law, politics and philosophy . New York: McGraw-Hill publishers, 1995. Print.

Workler, Robert and Brian Gorsten. Rousseau, the age of enlightment and their legacies . New York: Oxford Publishers, 2012. Print.

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Civics Literacy Study & Resource Guide

• Introduction
• Civic Life, Politics, and Government
• Foundations of American Political System
• Constitution and American Democracy
• Citizenship and Participation

Voting and Elections

Researching issues and candidates, other forms of civic participation.

• Individuals & Events in U.S. History

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• American Studies by J.P. Herubel Last Updated May 22, 2024 127 views this year
• Indiana Government by Bert Chapman Last Updated Feb 26, 2024 201 views this year

The Role of Citizens in American Democracy

U.s. constitution.

The U.S. Constitution includes amendments regarding citizenship and participation of citizens in politics. Some examples include:

• Granted citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States." In addition, it forbids states from denying any person "life, liberty or property, without due process of law" or to "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” (From the  Library of Congress )
• Granted African American men the right to vote by declaring that the "right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Although ratified on February 3, 1870, the promise of the 15th Amendment would not be fully realized for almost a century. Through the use of poll taxes, literacy tests and other means, Southern states were able to effectively disenfranchise African Americans. It would take the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 before the majority of African Americans in the South were registered to vote. (From the  Library of Congress )
• Passed by Congress June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th amendment guarantees all American women the right to vote. Achieving this milestone required a lengthy and difficult struggle; victory took decades of agitation and protest. Beginning in the mid-19th century, several generations of woman suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practiced civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change of the Constitution. ( From the  National Archives )
• Passed by Congress March 23, 1971, and ratified July 1, 1971, the 26th amendment granted the right to vote to American citizens aged eighteen or older. (From the National Archives )

In the American Democracy, citizens are granted the right to vote for elected representatives in government positions. You can learn more about voting through the following resources:

• Can I Vote (NASS) This nonpartisan website was created by state election officials to help eligible voters figure out how and where to go vote.
• Fair Elections Center Fair Elections Center is a national, nonpartisan voting rights and election reform 501(c)(3) organization with the mission of using litigation and advocacy to remove barriers to registration and voting, particularly those disenfranchising underrepresented and marginalized communities, and to improve election administration.
• Federal Voting Assistance Project Absentee voting assistance and verification for servicemembers & their families and overseas citizens. Plus, links to state/territory-specific election & legislative websites.
• How To Vote How to Vote is your guide to everything you need to know to register and vote in your state. If you have a question about participating in elections, you’ll find the answer here.
• Indiana State Voting Requirements Courtesy of Indiana Secretary of State Elections Division
• State and Local Election Search (USA.gov) Locate your state’s election office website for state-wide voting guidance.
• VoteRiders VoteRiders offers free assistance for any eligible voter who encounters barriers to securing his or her ID to vote, including financial and legal help obtaining underlying documents like birth certificates, change of name documentation, etc.
• Voting & Elections Toolkits Voting and election reference guide for each state provided by GODORT.
• Voting and Elections (USA.gov) Information on where to register, finding state and local elections, and voting and election laws.

Library Resources

• CQ Researcher CQ Researcher explores a single, current issue in the news each week on topics ranging from social issues to environment, health, education, science and technology. Each 12,000-word report features comments from experts, lawmakers and citizens on all sides of the issue. Charts, graphs, a pro-con feature, chronology, bibliographies and a list of contacts complete each report. more... less... Forty-four reports are produced each year, with four expanded reports. Each 12,000-word report features comments from experts, lawmakers and citizens on all sides of the issue. Charts, graphs, a pro-con feature, chronology, bibliographies and a list of contacts complete each report.
• News, Policy & Politics Magazine Archive (feat. Newsweek) This link opens in a new window An archival collection comprising the backfiles of 15 major magazines (including the Newsweek archive), spanning areas including current events, international relations, and public policy. These titles offer multiple perspectives on the contemporary contexts of the major events, trends, and interests in these fields throughout the twentieth century. The collection will provide valuable primary source content for researchers in fields ranging from history and political science, through to law and economics. more... less... Note: Due to the rarity of some of the original print volumes, there are small gaps (issues or pages) in the runs of some publications.
• ProQuest Congressional Publications Provides access to historic and recent U.S. Government publications from 1789-1969 on including U.S. Congressional Serial Set documents, federal agency reports, congressional committee publications including reports on legislation, statistics, maps, and congressional debates. Coverage includes Congressional Record and predecessor publication debates from 1789-1997 and Executive branch agency publications not included in the U.S. Congressional Serial Set from 1789-1932.
• Political Extremism & Radicalism This link opens in a new window Provides primary source material on far-right and fascist movements as well as radical left groups in one resource . Explores the origins and development of present-day issues, including the resurgence of right-wing politics, evolution of various civil rights movements and the nature of extreme or radical political thought.

Voter Guides

• AARP Government & Elections Guide Includes news & analysis, political issues, and other information on government and elections.
• I Side With... Offers quizzes to help match citizens with potential candidates based on their beliefs. Also includes information on popular issues, data, candidates, and more.
• Voting Information Tool This website is an initiative of the Voting Information Project (VIP), a partnership between state election officials and Democracy Works to connect voters with the election information they need to cast a ballot. Launched in 2008, VIP works with state and local election officials to provide official and up-to-date election information.

Research Tools

• Political Issues by Topic (Pew Research Center) Browse reports and articles by political issue. Provided by the Pew Research Center.
• PolitiFact Truth-O-Meter PolitiFact's evaluates political information from transcripts, speeches, news stories, press releases, campaign brochures, TV, social media, and emailed requests. The evaluated content also includes a list of sources with every fact-check.
• FactCheck.org A nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.
• Washington Post Fact Checker The purpose of this website, and an accompanying column in the Sunday print edition of The Washington Post, is to “truth squad” the statements of political figures regarding issues of great importance, be they national, international or local (excerpt from website).
• C-SPAN Video Archives The C-SPAN Archives contains over 270,000 hours of C-SPAN programming and are located in the Purdue Research Park next to Purdue University. The Archives represents a record of over thirty years of our nation’s political history. Details on the API can be found under the mycspan tab at the top of c-span.org for individuals who create an account. Use Chrome browser for best results.
• Congressional Research Service (CRS) The Library of Congress' Congressional Research Service (CRS) presents unbiased reports on various public policy issues for members of Congress, their staff, and the American public.

Volunteerism

Form of civic action and commitment that demonstrates a willingness to make positive contributions to society. The following provides resources for how to get involved in Indiana and Tippecanoe County.

• Indiana Volunteer Centers Directory of volunteer centers in Indiana by county.
• Serve Indiana (IN.gov) Serve Indiana is a division of the Department of Workforce Development for the State of Indiana. The mission of Serve Indiana is to advance service and volunteerism by informing, connecting, and promoting opportunities and resources that enrich the lives of Hoosiers.
• State Emergency Registry of Volunteers for Indiana SERV-IN is a statewide electronic registration system of medical and non-medical volunteers who want to assist our public health and healthcare system during an event or disaster.
• Volunteer.gov America’s Natural and Cultural Resources Volunteer Portal was built and is maintained by the Federal Interagency Team on Volunteerism (FITV) that is comprised of volunteer program coordinators from three Cabinet level departments.
• Volunteer Engagement Center (United Way) Browse local volunteer opportunities within the greater Lafayette area.
• VolunteerMatch Database of virtual and on location volunteer opportunities. Searchable by cause areas, skills, keyword, and more.
• Inspired to Serve: Report of the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service 2020 report by congressionally authorized commission.

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9. The responsibilities of citizenship

When it comes to what it takes to be a good citizen, the public has a long list of traits and behaviors that it says are important. And there’s a fair amount of agreement across groups about what it takes to be a good citizen.

Still, there are differences when it comes to which aspects are considered very important (as opposed to somewhat important), and points of emphasis differ by party identification as well as by age.

Overall, 91% say it is either very (74%) or somewhat (17%) important to vote in elections in order to be a good citizen; just 8% say this is not too or not at all important.

Large shares also say it is important to pay all the taxes you owe (92%) and to always follow the law (96%), including about seven-in-ten who say each is very important (71% and 69%, respectively).

For several other traits and behaviors, about nine-in-ten say they are at least somewhat important to good citizenship. However, the share saying each is very important varies significantly. For example, 89% say it’s important to serve jury duty if called, including 61% who say this is very important. While a comparable 90% say it’s important to follow what’s happening in government and politics as part of good citizenship, a smaller share (49%) says this very important.

Protesting government actions you think are wrong and knowing the Pledge of Allegiance are considered important parts of what it means to be a good citizen, though they rank somewhat lower on the public’s list. Displaying the American flag ranks last among the 11 items tested in the survey. Still, a majority says this is either a very (36%) or somewhat (26%) important part of what it means to be a good citizen.

Republicans and Democrats largely agree on the importance of most responsibilities of citizenship.

About three-quarters of Republicans and Republican leaners (76%) and Democrats and Democratic leaners (75%) say it’s very important to vote in elections.

Similarly, comparable majorities of Republicans and Democrats say it’s very important to pay all the taxes you owe, serve jury duty if called, respect the opinions of those you disagree with and participate in the census. There also are no partisan divides over the importance of volunteering to help others and following what’s going on in government and politics.

However, Republicans (79%) are more likely than Democrats (61%) to say it’s very important to always follow the law to be a good citizen.

Knowing the Pledge of Allegiance ranks higher on Republicans’ list (71% say it’s very important) than Democrats’ (just 34% say it’s very important). In addition to placing greater importance on the Pledge of Allegiance, Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to say it is very important to display the American flag (50% vs. 25%).

By contrast, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to think it is very important to protest if government actions are believed to be wrong: About half of Democrats (52%) this is very important to what it means to be a good citizen, compared with just about a third (35%) of Republicans.

Partisans and ‘leaners’ differ over importance of aspects of citizenship

On many items, the views of independents that lean toward one of the two major parties diverge from those of self-identifying Republicans and Democrats. In general, partisan leaners tend to be less likely than straight Republicans and Democrats to view a range of responsibilities as important to what it means to be a good citizen.

Overall, 83% of Republicans say voting in elections is a very important aspect of being a good citizen, compared with a smaller majority of Republican leaners (67%). There is an even wider 28-point gap between the share of Democrats (86%) and Democratic leaners (58%) who say this is very important.

Similarly, roughly two-thirds of both Republicans (64%) and Democrats (68%) say participating in the U.S. census every 10 years is very important to being a good citizen; slightly fewer Republican leaners (55%) and Democratic leaners (53%) say the same.

This pattern is seen across other items as well: Those who identify with a party are more likely than independents who lean to a party to say it is very important to serve jury duty if called, pay all owed taxes and to follow what is happening in government.

While large shares of Republicans (96%) and Republican leaners (87%) say it is important to know the Pledge of Allegiance, Republican identifiers are somewhat more likely than leaners to say this is very important to good citizenship.

By comparison, smaller majorities of Democrats (67%) and Democratic leaners (60%) say it’s important to know the pledge. Self-identifying Democrats (42%) are significantly more likely to say knowing the pledge is a very important part of good citizenship than Democratic leaners (24%).

There is a 22-point gap between the share of Republicans (90%) and Republican leaners (68%) who say displaying the American flag is at least somewhat important to being a good citizen. And 63% of Republicans call this very important, compared with 35% of Republican leaners. About half of Democrats (52%) think this is a very or somewhat important aspect of good citizenship; 43% of Democratic leaners say the same.

In contrast to the patterns seen on many items, Republican leaners (81%) are more likely than Republicans (66%) to say protesting government actions you think are wrong is an important part of being a good citizen. The views of Republican leaners place them closer to those of Democrats and Democratic leaners in terms of the overall importance they place on this aspect of citizenship.

Age differences in views of the responsibilities of citizenship

Young adults place less importance on many aspects of citizenship than older adults, especially when it comes to the share that describes a trait or behavior as very important for being a good citizen.

Majorities of adults across all ages say it is very important to vote in elections in order to be a good citizen. Still, a smaller majority of those under 30 say this (56%), compared with larger shares of those ages 30 to 49 (72%), 50 to 64 (76%) and 65 and older (92%).

And while fully 81% of those 65 and older say that to be a good citizen it is very important to serve jury duty if called, just about half (47%) of those under 30 say the same.

On other items, the pattern is similar. Young adults are less likely to call paying the taxes you owe, following the law, participating in the census, and following government and politics very important. Still, large majorities of young adults say each of these is at least somewhat important to being a good citizen.

There is no meaningful age gap in views of the importance of protesting government actions you think are wrong. Overall, 85% of those ages 18 to 29 say this is either very (45%) or somewhat (40%) important to being a good citizen. Views among those ages 65 and older are similar (50% very important, 36% somewhat important).

Displaying the American flag and knowing the Pledge of Allegiance do not rank particularly highly for young adults on their list of important characteristics for good citizenship. Among those ages 18 to 29, 63% say it is important to know the Pledge of Allegiance (38% very important) and 53% say it is important to display the American flag (19% very important). These items do not top the list of older adults either, though those 65 and older are more likely than the youngest adults to say both are important parts of being a good citizen.

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4.2: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens and Non-Citizens

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• Page ID 128421

• Robert W. Maloy & Torrey Trust
• University of Massachusetts via EdTech Books

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Standard 4.2: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens and Non-Citizens

Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens as compared to non-citizens. (Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for History and Social Studies) [8.T4.2]

FOCUS QUESTION: What are the rights and responsibilities of United States citizens and non-citizens?

Information from the Department of Homeland Security (public domain):

The Bill of Rights (the Constitution's first 10 amendments) set forth the rights (protections under the law) of Americans. But those rights come with responsibilities (obligations that citizens are expected to perform), such as paying taxes, serving on a jury when called, defending the country, and participating in the democratic process. Exercising one's rights and fulfilling one's responsibilities are the features of active and engaged citizenship in this country.

Non-citizens also have rights and responsibilities as members of American society, but their situations are complicated by legal rules and political pressures.

What are the rights of citizens and non-citizens? The modules for this standard explore that question by outlining specific rights and responsibilities, examining the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, and considering whether Fred Korematsu or other individuals who fought for civil rights and civil liberties should have a national day of recognition.

Modules for this Standard Include:

• MEDIA LITERACY CONNECTIONS: Portrayals of Immigrants in Television and Film
• UNCOVER: The Internment of Japanese Americans during World War II
• ENGAGE: Should Individuals Who Fought for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Have a National Day of Recognition?

4.2.1 INVESTIGATE: The Rights of Citizens and of Non-Citizens

93% of the people living in the United States are citizens; 7% are non-citizens ( Kaiser Family Foundation, 2020 ). One recent estimate puts the number of non-citizens at 22.6 million ( CAP Immigration Team & Nicolson, 2017 ).

The rights of individuals under the Constitution apply to citizens and non-citizens alike.

Non-citizens, no matter what their immigration status, generally have the same rights as citizens when law enforcement officers stop, question, arrest, or search them or their homes. Since the Constitution uses the term "people" or "person" rather than "citizen," many of the "basic rights, such as the freedom of religion and speech, the right to due process and equal protection under the law apply to citizens and noncitizens. How those rights play out in practice is more complex" ( Frazee, 2018, para. 6-7 ). Learn more: Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities & Constitutional Rights of Non-Citizens .

Media Literacy Connections: Portrayals of Immigrant in Television and Film

Portrayals of immigrants and the immigrant experience are frequent themes in television and film.

A portrayal is how an individual or group is presented in media, but such representations may or may not be factually accurate. Sometimes these representations offer an idealized view of the immigrant experience. While the Statue of Liberty portrays a nation welcoming newcomers, the reality is that the United States was and is not a land of opportunity for many who come here.

In other instances, immigrants may be presented in harmfully stereotypical terms, often as criminals or threats. In the report Change the Narrative, Change the World: How Immigrant Representation on Television Moves Audiences to Action, researchers from the University of Southern California found viewers who saw programs with more inclusive immigration storylines had more welcoming, supportive attitudes toward immigrants than those who did not.

In these activities, you will explore whether current portrayals and representations of immigrants in television and film media are accurate or stereotypical, and while so doing, consider: "What does media representation of immigrants mean to immigrants?"

• Activity 1: Write a Letter of Praise or Protest (Persuasive Writing)
• Activity 2: Evaluate the Representation of Immigrants in the Movies

Suggested Learning Activities

• Legal Rights of Undocumented Immigrants , KQED Learning
• Know Your Rights: A Guide to the U.S. Constitution , Office of the U.S. Attorney, District of Minnesota
• Know Your Rights When Encountering Law Enforcement, American Civil Liberties Union

\(^*\)This activity is designed to demonstrate that the rights guaranteed to all Americans as citizens are not universal for all people (even legal immigrants to the country). It ask students to think critically and creatively about what rights all people should have. It is based on a learning plan developed by University of Massachusetts Amherst teaching interns Conor Morrissey and Connor Frechette-McCall in Fall 2019.

Online Resources for the Rights of Citizens and Non-Citizens

• LEARNING PLAN: When Some Students are Undocumented, and Some Are Not: Teaching Civics in Mixed-Citizenship Classrooms , Social Education (November/December 2020).
• Becoming American: Exploring Names and Identities , Facing History and Ourselves
• Rights of Non-Citizens under the Equal Protection Clause , from Exploring Constitutional Conflicts
• The Supreme Court has incorporated the numerous rights from the Bill of Rights against actions by the government.

4.2.2 UNCOVER: Internment of Japanese Americans during World War II

Following the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 , which mandated moving 120,000 Japanese-Americans from their homes to one of 10 internment camps in the western part of the United States. Most of the people relocated were U.S. citizens or legal permanent resident aliens.

The internment camps , officially called "relocation centers," were located in California, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, and Arkansas. Over 50% of those interned were children. To learn about the camps, view Building History 3.0: An Interactive Explorations of the Japanese American Incarceration in Minecraft .

Constitutional safeguards given to United States citizens were ignored or bypassed in the name of national defense. People were detained for up to four years, without due process of law or any factual basis, and forced to live in remote camps behind barbed wire and under the surveillance of armed guards.

Video \(\PageIndex{1}\): "Japanese Relocation", a short film released by the U.S. government in 1942 to explain the internment of Japanese and Japanese Americans.

Actor George Takei, of Star Trek, and his family were imprisoned in Rowher, Arkansas, as documented in his autobiography To The Stars (1995). Takei and three co-writers have since collaborated on They Called Us Enemy , a graphic memoir about his experiences in the camp (2019).

In 1944, two years after signing Executive Order 9066, President Roosevelt revoked the order. The last internment camp was closed by the end of 1945. There was no official apology from the United States government until passage of The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 . In 1991, President George H. W. Bush wrote a letter of apology to each surviving internment camp member, who also received a $20,000 check from the government ( Letter from President George Bush to Japanese Internees ).

Largely forgotten today were the experiences of Japanese-American soldiers who fought for the United States in western Europe. Many of these soldiers were Nisei (American-born children of Japanese immigrants), and former members of the Hawaii National Guard. They experienced the contradiction of fighting to liberate Europe and close down German concentration camps while other Japanese-Americans were interned in camps at home. Learn more about the hidden history of Japanese-American Soldiers in World War II from the website Re-Imagining Migration.

• Japanese Relocation is a short video from the US government explaining the decision to create internment camps
• The Internment Diary of Toyojiro Suzuki from the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
• A collection of Ansel Adams' photographs showing life in a Japanese Internment camp.
• Japanese-American woman who was forced into an internment camp at 16 recalls time in custody
• Brief Overview of the World War II Enemy Alien Control Program
• Children of the Camps is a PBS documentary (and accompanying website) about the experiences of six Japanese-Americans who were detained as children.
• Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project offers multimedia materials including a slideshow and videos as well as oral histories from Japanese Americans who were imprisoned during World War II.
• As a model for this activity, see Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II Poster Exhibition from the Smithsonian.
• Find more information on a wiki page for Japanese Internment in World War II
• Split the class into two groups and have one group research reasons for the use of internment camps and the other group research issues and unfair treatment that resulted from the camps.
• Share findings and discuss whether or not the internment camps should have been used after hearing both sides.
• What alternatives could the U.S. government have used instead of internment camps?
• Should constitutional safeguards given to United States citizens be ignored or bypassed in the name of national defense?

Online Resources for Japanese Internment

• Lesson plan on Japanese Internment from Library of Congress
• Lesson Plans from the Mananzar National Historic Site focus on the experiences at one of the primary internment camps.
• A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans & the U.S. Constitution from the Smithsonian Museum of American History that uses images, music and text to explore the experience of citizens placed in detention camps during World War II.
• Hirabayashi v. United States (1943)
• Korematsu v. United States (1944)

4.3.3 ENGAGE: Should Individuals Who Fought for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Have a National Day of Recognition?

In 1942, a 23-year-old Japanese American named Fred Korematsu refused an order to move to one of the government's wartime internment camps. He was arrested, convicted, and jailed for his actions. Along with two other resistors, he appealed his case to the Supreme Court which upheld his conviction. That conviction was eventually overturned in 1983.

To honor his fight for civil rights and civil liberties, Fred Koresmatsu Day was enacted in California in 2010. It was the first state-wide day in the United States to be named after an Asian American. Hawaii, Virginia, and Florida have since passed laws honoring Fred Korematsu to perpetuity. Learn more at It's Fred Korematsu Day: Celebrating a Foe of U.S. Internment Camps , and Honoring a Japanese-American Who Fought Against Internment Camps .

Deciding to honor someone for their historical efforts has large political implications in the United States today. Despite its racist history, there are states and communities that continue to celebrate the Confederacy and Confederate war heroes with days of recognition ( Southern Poverty Law Center, 2019 ). At the same time, there are individuals and groups who fought for civil rights and civil liberties but who remain neglected or omitted from history books and state-level history curriculum frameworks.

Students can be effective advocates for honoring those who fought for civil rights and civil liberties . In the early 1980s, students from Oakland Tech High School class of 1981 - " The Apollos " - engaged in a four-year campaign to get the state of California to establish a day honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Their efforts were successful when California became the fourth state to have a MLK Day (the national holiday was established in 1986). In 2109, students at the school wrote and performed a play about the efforts of the Apollos ( California High School Students Who Lobbied for State MLK Holiday Honored in Oakland Tech Play ).

Who would you nominate for a State or National Day of Recognition for efforts to achieve civil rights and civil liberties?

• Why has the U.S. failed to fully recognize individuals like Fred Koresmatsu who stood up for American ideals?
• Select an individual and write a persuasive essay (or design a video) to send to a local or national elected official.
• For example, on August 14, 2021, Navajo Code Talkers Day became a legal state holiday in Arizona.
• Kinfolk , an app by Movers & Shakers NYC, features augmented reality monuments of famous Black historical figures with narrated text, artifacts, images, biographical information, and other materials.
• Navajo and Tlingit Code Talkers
• Benjamin Banneker, African American Author, Surveyor, and Scientis t
• Langston Hughes, Activist and Journalist
• Marian Anderson, Singer and Civil Rights Activist
• A. Philip Randolph, Black Labor Activist
• The Black Cabinet was a group of 45 African Americans who held positions in cabinet offices or New Deal agencies. Learn more at the National Women's History Museum website: Mary McLeod Bethune - Overview and Background (1875-1955) .
• There is more information at Bessie Coleman from The History Chicks podcast site and a historical biography page on the resourcesforhistoryteachers wiki: Bessie Coleman, African American Aviator and Civil Rights Pioneer .

Standard 4.2 Conclusion

In the United States, every citizen has rights and responsibilities as a member of a democratic society. Non-citizens have rights too, although they differ from those of citizens. INVESTIGATE explored the specific rights of citizens and non-citizens. UNCOVER focused on the suspension of citizenship rights during the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. ENGAGE asked whether days of recognition should be given to Fred Korematsu or other women and men who fought to establish and preserve civil rights and civil liberties throughout American history.

Essay on Responsibilities of a Citizen

Students are often asked to write an essay on Responsibilities of a Citizen in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Responsibilities of a Citizen

Understanding citizenship.

Being a citizen means being a part of a community or nation. It comes with certain rights and responsibilities. These responsibilities help maintain harmony and progress.

Abiding by Laws

Every citizen must respect and follow the laws of the land. This ensures peace and order, fostering a safe environment for all.

Civic Participation

Active involvement in community activities is another responsibility. This includes voting, attending public meetings, and voicing opinions on community matters.

Respect for Others

Respecting the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others is vital. It promotes unity and understanding among diverse groups.

Protecting the Environment

Citizens should care for the environment, conserving resources and reducing pollution for future generations.

250 Words Essay on Responsibilities of a Citizen

Introduction.

The concept of citizenship is a cornerstone of any society. It represents the relationship between an individual and a nation, entailing both rights and responsibilities. The duties of a citizen are not merely legal obligations but also moral and social responsibilities that contribute to the overall well-being of the community.

Moral Responsibilities

Moral responsibilities of a citizen encompass respect for others’ rights and cultural diversity. It includes promoting peace, harmony, and unity. A responsible citizen should actively discourage any forms of discrimination based on race, religion, or gender. They should also uphold ethical values such as honesty, integrity, and accountability.

Social Responsibilities

Social responsibilities involve active participation in societal activities, contributing to the progress of the community. This includes volunteering, engaging in community services, and helping those in need. A citizen should also strive to protect the environment and promote sustainable practices.

Legal Responsibilities

Legal responsibilities are the binding duties that every citizen must adhere to. These include obeying laws, paying taxes, and participating in the democratic process by voting. A responsible citizen should also stay informed about the nation’s affairs and voice their opinions constructively.

In conclusion, the responsibilities of a citizen are multifaceted, encompassing moral, social, and legal aspects. They are integral to maintaining social order, fostering a sense of community, and ensuring the nation’s progress. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every citizen to understand and fulfill these responsibilities conscientiously.

500 Words Essay on Responsibilities of a Citizen

Citizenship is not just about rights; it is equally about responsibilities. The essence of citizenship lies in the symbiotic relationship between the individual and the state. This essay explores the responsibilities of a citizen, focusing on the role of the citizen in maintaining the social contract, promoting societal harmony, and contributing to national development.

The Social Contract

The concept of the social contract underscores the relationship between the state and its citizens. In this implicit agreement, citizens surrender some of their freedoms in exchange for the protection and services provided by the state. The citizen’s part of the bargain involves obeying laws and regulations, paying taxes, and participating in civic duties such as voting. These responsibilities ensure the smooth functioning of the state and uphold the rule of law.

Promoting Social Harmony

Another essential responsibility of a citizen is to promote social harmony. This involves respecting the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others, even when they differ from our own. In a diverse society, tolerance and mutual respect are crucial for maintaining peace and unity. Citizens also have a duty to stand against discrimination and injustice. By actively promoting equality and fairness, citizens contribute to a more inclusive and harmonious society.

Contributing to National Development

Citizens play a pivotal role in national development. By engaging in productive activities, citizens contribute to economic growth. This includes not only formal employment but also entrepreneurial ventures, volunteer work, and other forms of social contribution. The education of oneself and the future generations is another crucial aspect of this responsibility. An educated citizenry is better equipped to make informed decisions and contribute effectively to society.

Environmental Stewardship

In the face of the escalating global environmental crisis, the responsibility of citizens extends to environmental stewardship. This involves adopting sustainable practices, like reducing waste, conserving resources, and supporting renewable energy. It also includes advocating for environmental policies and holding corporations and governments accountable for their environmental impact.

In conclusion, the responsibilities of a citizen are multifaceted and extend beyond the confines of the law. They encompass the promotion of social harmony, contribution to national development, and environmental stewardship. By fulfilling these responsibilities, citizens not only uphold the social contract but also contribute to a more harmonious, prosperous, and sustainable society. The responsibilities of a citizen, therefore, are not just duties to be fulfilled, but opportunities to shape the society we live in, and the world we will pass on to future generations.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Good Citizen
• Essay on Duties of a Good Citizen
• Essay on An Ideal Citizen

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Handout A – Background Essay: What Does it Mean to Be a Citizen?

Directions: Read the essay and respond to the Review Questions at the end.

What is a Citizen?

The term, “citizen” is related to the Latin term, civitas, meaning “city,” and referred in early times to an inhabitant of a city. In modern times it denotes a legally recognized member of a state who is entitled to certain rights and bears certain responsibilities. In the United States, our understanding of what it means to be a citizen comes from a number of influences that predate the U.S. Constitution, which did not initially define citizenship, but left it to each of the states to determine the qualifications for participation in government. To the ancient Greeks, a citizen was a member of the community who participates in public affairs through informed, reasoned debate and discussion, respectfully considering the views of others. Aristotle taught that a citizen is capable of both ruling and being ruled through active participation in deliberation and decision-making. In the Roman Republic, civitas consisted of those city residents who were educated and had the right to vote and hold office. Ideally, they exercised moderation and good judgment by voting for the good of the people, sharing in the rights and responsibilities of self-government.

Why did the Founders think virtue is necessary?

Building on this underpinning, the Founders of the United States took the position that citizens must exercise certain knowledge, skills, dispositions, and virtues in self-government. Among the many observations of Founders regarding the important role of a citizen are the following:

• John Adams wrote, “Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private [virtue], and public virtue is the only foundation of republics.” John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, April 16, 1776
• Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.” Letter to Messrs, the Abbes Chalut, and Arnaud, April 17, 1787
• James Madison stated: “To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical [imaginary] idea.” Speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 20, 1788
• Madison also wrote, “As there is a degree of depravity in mankind which requires a certain degree of circumspection and distrust, so there are other qualities in human nature which justify a certain portion of esteem and confidence. [America’s republican form of government] presupposes the existence of these qualities in a higher degree than any other form.” (Federalist No. 55, 1788).
• Thomas Jefferson wrote: “Convinced that the people are the only safe depositories of their own liberty, and that they are not safe unless enlightened to a certain degree, I have looked on our present state of liberty as a short-lived possession unless the mass of the people could be informed to a certain degree.” Letter to Littleton Waller Tazewell, 1805.

Ratified in 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides the legal definition of U.S. citizenship, stating, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein they reside.” For purposes of this study, we will use the following description:

A citizen in a free society is a person who functions privately and publicly  according to principles of moral and ethical excellent essential to leading a worthwhile life and to effective self-government. A citizen seeks to be active in public life, demonstrating civic virtues in everyday life and solving community problems.

What virtues are necessary in a free society, and who is responsible for cultivating them among the citizens?

If citizens are to be free, how is it appropriate for government to be concerned about character formation? What does it mean to be free? The Founders believed that all humans are born with certain natural rights, and that legitimate government is based on the will of the people expressed through the laws they make for themselves through their representatives. Self-government in civil society depends on certain attributes of character, but the government is not the primary institution responsible for inculcating those virtues. Rather, generating the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions is primarily the responsibility of families. The first and most powerful influences on character come from experiences and expectations learned in the family setting. In the endeavor to develop decent human beings who know how to work with one another, solve problems, and resolve disputes productively, families are supported by private institutions such as religious institutions and civic associations. Government plays a secondary role in encouraging these qualities in a variety of ways, including through its provision of tax-supported community schools.

There are many virtues that contribute to civil society, but the Founders’ public and private writings tell us that many of them understood at least the following attributes of character to be necessary: justice, responsibility, courage, moderation, respect, initiative, honor, perseverance, self-reliance, and civic knowledge.

To preserve freedom citizens must first understand what justice is and have the courage to assert themselves when their rights or the rights of others are violated. If individuals are to be free, they must exercise self-reliance and responsibility to provide for themselves and their families. They must also respect others enough to behave generously when other community members face hardship. Another outgrowth of respect for others is that individuals exercise moderation in their thoughts and actions in order to listen and engage in civil discourse. Communities built on this foundation also require individuals who apply initiative to act energetically in solving problems, perseverance because problems often do not yield to easy solutions, and honor so that people can trust one another to do the right thing. Civic knowledge is necessary so that people understand their rights and can act with wisdom based on evidence and reason. In addition to applying these virtues in their own lives, citizens must hold their elected officials accountable to these standards. Seeking to serve the public in a representative office is a heavy responsibility, and voters must exercise vigilance and wisdom as they mark their ballots. What principles guided the Founders in establishing the structure of the U.S. Constitution?

Based on their long and diligent study of the kinds of governments that been established in human history, Founders like James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Wilson, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, and George Mason, urged that certain principles must be incorporated in the framework of government in order for it to do its main job, which was protecting the natural rights of the citizens. Those principles of constitutional government included rule of law and due process, the idea that government and citizens alike abided by the same laws regardless of political power, and that those laws must reflect the virtue of justice. Because all humans are born with equal and inalienable rights, no one is born with a natural right to rule over others, so legitimate government is based on the principle of consent of the governed. In a large and complex society, the principle of consent is generally expressed through the principle of republicanism (or representation) as the people entrust to certain elected officials the responsibilities of day-today decision-making regarding law and policy. Because humans are flawed and disposed to increase their own power at the expense of others, Founders believed it is important to preserve the principle of limited government through a complex structure of enumerated, divided, shared powers and checks and balances.

The Founders knew that the preservation of liberty would not be easy; it is often difficult for flawed human beings to engage productively with one another to live peaceably in community. And they also knew that the American experiment in self-government had no chance to succeed without these constitutional principles, as well as personal and civic virtues.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

• Using the definitions of “citizen” in the first paragraph of the essay, write your own definition of what it means to be a citizen.
• Which of the Founders’ quotes in the second paragraph do you believe is most important for citizens to understand today? Be prepared to explain your answer.
• Why do institutions like government, religious institutions, and voluntary organizations play a secondary, or supporting, role in developing strength of character, compared to the primary role of family?
• Of the specific virtues listed in the essay, select the three or four that you think are most important, and be prepared to explain your opinion.
• Of the specific principles described in the essay, select one or two that you believe are most important and be prepared to explain your opinion.
• Paraphrase and evaluate the following quote from an essay that Samuel Adams wrote at the age of 27 in 1749. Was Adams correct, partially correct, or incorrect? Defend your answer. “Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend of the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue.” Samuel Adams, Essay in The Public Advertiser, 1749

Home / Essay Samples / Environment / Global Citizen / The Role of a Good Citizen: Nurturing a Strong and Responsible Society

The Role of a Good Citizen: Nurturing a Strong and Responsible Society

• Category: Environment
• Topic: Global Citizen

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Civic Duties and Responsibilities

Active community engagement, promoting positive values, respecting laws and regulations, environmental responsibility.

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