The duties of a citizen pot

The duties of a citizen

The word citizen has three shades of meaning. It may
mean to town-dweller as distinguished from a villager; or,
secondly, the member of a city, who has recognized
municipal privileges and duties – as, a citizen of
Manchester, or of Bombay; or lastly, it may mean the
subject of a sovereign state, in which sense we speak of
an English citizen, or a French citizen.

The first meaning may be left aside here; for the subject is
concerned with the second and third meanings only. What,
then, are the duties of a citizen to his city and his country?

A citizen is the member of a community, whether that
community is a town or a great country: and as the
member of a community he has both privileges and duties.
We may think of a community as existing for the sake of
its individual members, or, the individual members as
existing for the sake of the community. The first view, held
by individualists, emphasizes the privileges of a
citizenship. One says, the State exists for the good of the
citizen – and that is true; the other says, the citizens exist
for the good of the State – and that also is true. Both views
must be combined and a citizen must recognize that the
State he belongs to has a duty to him (his privileges) and
that he has an obligation to it (his duties).

However, as we are in no danger of forgetting our
privileges as citizens, it is wise to emphasize our duties.

The first obvious duty of a citizen is loyalty to the country
of his birth or adoption. Patriotism does not mean “My
country, right or wrong”; but it does mean that in a national
crisis or danger, a citizen must be prepared to support and
defend his country even, if necessary, with his life.

Secondly, it is the duty of a citizen to obey his country’s
laws. He must have no sympathy with crime, which is a
breach of law. He may consider some laws imperfect,
unwise and even unjust; and he may, and should, use all
constitutional means in his power, such as public
speaking, writing to the press, organization, and the use of
his vote, to get such laws reformed or abolished. But so
long as a law is a law, he must obey it.

Thirdly, he must do more than keep the law himself, he
must, as occasion arises, actively assist the guardians of
the law in the performance of their duty in putting down
crimes and arresting criminals. Criminals must be made to
feel that they have, not only the police, but also all
respectable citizens against them.

Fourthly, he ought to take an intelligent interest in politics;
for as a citizen he has a vote, and he is responsible for
using that vote for the good of his country as a whole. He
must form definite opinions as to what is best for his
country, and what men are the best to rule it, and what
new laws and reforms it needs, and then actively use such
influence as he has to forward such measures.

Lastly, a citizen must be ready, if he has the ability and is
called upon to do so, to render active voluntary service to
his city or country, by serving on municipalities, education
committees, and other public bodies, or even in the central
legislature. Good citizens have no right to leave the
management of local or national institutions to
professional politicians.