CSS - Citizens and the State Lesson
Citizens and the State Lesson
Governments connect to their citizens in a variety of ways. By categorizing government/citizen relationships, we are able to compare between countries and note similarities and differences. For example, citizens in democracies generally relate differently than do citizens governed by authoritarian rulers. Make sure to read topics related to Citizen and State Relationships in your e-textbook.
| Category | Questions that determine the relationship |
|---|---|
| Attitudes and Beliefs | Do citizens trust their government? What is the level of political efficacy among citizens? |
| Political Socialization | How do citizens learn about politics in their country? |
| Types of Political Participation | How active are the citizens in the political process? |
| Voting Behavior | Do citizens in the country participate in regular elections? |
| Factors that Influence Political Beliefs and Behaviors | What cleavages are in the country? Do they make a difference in citizen's political beliefs and behaviors? |
| Level of Transparency | Is the government open? Does it operate by keeping citizens informed about its operations, political issues, and by responding to questions and advice? |
It is now time to watch the Citizens and the State presentation. Take notes as you watch the video and reach out to your instructor with any questions.
Civil Society
Civil society refers to voluntary organizations outside of the state that helps people define and advance their own interests. Civil societies are usually strong in liberal democracies where individual freedoms are valued. Groups in civil society may be unpolitical, but they are important to the idea of freedom because they allow people to articulate and promote what is important to them. By their very nature, authoritarian states do not encourage civil society, and the state often feels its power is threatened by it, though some organizations, such as the Russian Orthodox Church do survive. In less developed or newly industrializing countries, individuals tend to be divided by ethnic, religious, economic, or social boundaries and do not identify with groups beyond their immediate surroundings. However, the idea of a global civil society is emerging in the 21stcentury with the rise of human rights and environmental groups that take shape in the form of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). These groups are national and international organizations and are independent of any state.
Here's your challenge! List the conditions that make a Civil Society thrive. Can you name 6?
Takeaway & Sendoff
Which Item Is It? Review Activity
Citizen and the State True or False Review Activity
Read the following statements, then determine if they are true or false.
Dig Deeper
Access additional resources HERE Links to an external site. to help you discover more information and dig deeper into this lesson's content.
Image via the National Endowment for Democracy, https://www.ned.org