The Good Citizen

• Good citizens are defined by the laws and rules of their respective state.
• Aristotle observed that a true measure of a political system is the kind of citizens it produces

Contrasting definitions

• Totalitarian states
• Authoritarian states
• Democratic states

Different Views

• Classical view

Political Socialization

• Good citizens are made, not born
• Political Socialization is the process whereby citizens develop the values, attitudes, beliefs, and opinions that enable them to support the political system.

Agents of Socialization
      A) Family
      B) Social-Economic Class
      C) Minority Status
      D) Gender
      E) Religion
      F) Schools – and impact of education: In U.S., higher education involves vocational training and liberal arts education. Liberal education stress critical thinking skills through study of literature, philosophy, science, history, and linguistics.
      G) Peer Groups
      H) The Mass Media
      I) The Law