the Fourteenth Amendment

A U.S. Citizen and Citizenship in the United States

A U.S. citizen is defined by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution as anyone naturalized or born in the United States who is subject to U.S. jurisdiction. Citizenship in the United States is the common thread that connects all Americans (Goodman, 2012). Furthermore, citizens of the United States are bound by the country’s common principles of liberty, freedom, and equality. Citizenship in the United States confers a wide range of significant benefits and duties, some of which are legally required of every American citizen. However, all of these rights and obligations are critical to ensuring that the United States remains a free and successful nation (Goodman, 2012).

Freedom and Rights of U.S. Citizens

One of the privileges bestowed upon every American citizen is the freedom of expression, which allows American citizens to freely express their views regarding various issues affecting the country without fear of being victimized. Additionally, U.S citizens enjoy the right to a fair trial by jury, as well as the right to participate in a democratic process through voting. Also, citizens of the United States have the right to apply for various federal job positions that require U.S. citizenship, as well as the freedom to pursue liberty, life, and happiness (Goodman, 2012).

Responsibilities of U.S. Citizens

On the other hand, one of the responsibilities of a U.S Citizen is to defend and support the U.S Constitution. Besides, U.S citizens have the responsibility of staying informed of various issues affecting their communities, as well as respect the rights, opinions, and beliefs of others. Additionally, U.S citizens have the responsibility to participate in the country’s democratic processes, defend the country if the need arises, take part in community building, as well as obey and respect the local, state, and federal laws (Hirzalla, 2007).

Citizen Influence in a Representative Democracy

In a representative democracy, citizens influence government in a broad range of ways. A representative democracy refers to a system of government where all eligible citizens have the right to vote their representatives to pass laws on their behalf (Dagan, 2005). A perfect example is the United States, where citizens elect the president, members of the Congress, as well as the state and local officials. One of the ways by which citizens influence government in a representative democracy is participating in the election of government officials who have to listen to the citizens and do what best serves the interests of the citizens. Additionally, citizens ensure the occurrence of genuine competition in the selection of government officials (Dagan, 2005). If the citizens feel that the election process is rigged, or there is a predetermined outcome, they can protest, or reject the election results through court proceedings. Also, there has to be a free and effective communication between the government and the citizens in a representative democracy (Hirzalla, 2007).

The Impact of Non-Participation in a Representative Democracy

Non-participation of citizens in a representative democracy has a significant effect on the democratic progress of a country since citizen participation forms one of the sure ways of measuring the state of a country’s democracy (Dagan, 2005). Non-participation of citizens in a country’s democratic process makes it difficult for the government to create job opportunities for its citizens to lead productive and healthy lives. Besides, the lack of citizens’ participation makes it difficult for the citizens to ensure that the government works for the public good as opposed to the interests of a few government officials (Dagan, 2005).

Importance of Citizens’ Understanding and Engagement

Therefore, citizens must understand ideas regarding citizenship, government, and politics to ensure that they participate in various democratic processes as a means of holding government officials to account. Citizens must have adequate knowledge to make decisions regarding different policy choices, as well as make appropriate use of their privileges. Besides, citizens must have sufficient skills to voice their concerns, as well as work collaboratively towards holding public officials accountable.

References

Dagan, H. (2005). The Currency of Democratic Participation. SSRN Electronic Journal. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.854824

Goodman, D. (2012). The diversity of Citizenship and a Citizen of the United States. SSRN Electronic Journal. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2019794

Hirzalla, F. (2007). The Internet and Democracy: Participation, Citizens, and Politics. Javnost - The Public, 14(2), 83-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13183222.2007.11008943