Political Participation and Civic Virtue

Civic virtue extends beyond obeying the law and revering principles such as liberty, equality, and justice. United States citizens have numerous opportunities to demonstrate their civic virtue and their commitment to the ideals of their country by participating in the political process. When citizens express their views or attempt to influence political leaders in some other way, they give life to their civic virtue. Every citizen has both a right and a duty to vote. Eligible voters in the United States have a voice in choosing literally thousands of local, state, and national leaders. For a representative democracy to function, citizens must be informed and must participate in elections, even though it is inconvenient and requires significant time and energy. This is discussed at greater length in lessons 6 and 7.