Realistic Cooperation

Were taking a look at what makes a citizen. This would be the basic foundation of a state.  the difference between states, nations or cities, is that a state in a strict sense is built around a constitution. The inhabitants have come together to agree on a structure where law and justice are meted out. A union is formed in order to protect themselves from hostile outside groups whether they belong to another state or are based in a certain idealism. 

A citizen is someone who reveres the constitution and does their best to live up to the part they serve in it, knowing that it will benefit everyone. A constitution is also necessary to keep the inhabitants civilized by setting limits on behaviors. It is an agreement based on intolerance. Intolerance isn't a bad word but the one we use to define limits. We all on occasion tolerate bad behavior and we can either give people a break or let it annoy us. Some behavior requires intervention by ourselves. If it is extreme, depending on the degree, we invoke governmental authorities to help us. The point we no longer tolerate something is our point of intolerance. Everyone has points of intolerance to varying degrees in varying areas. To claim differently defies logic. 

The first criteria we have to examine is the qualifications of being a citizen. If the government has a tyrant or an elite class ruling, being a citizen is just a name only. It can be loose and general since it doesn't really matter as long as they support those in charge. For a serious constitutional government, citizenship is important and there is a certain reverence toward being a citizen. There will be strict criteria for citizenship since they are expected to run the country. 

What makes a good citizen? They will contribute to the whole and consider it dishonorable to be a taxation to the country they belong to. This general principle applies on the community level as well as for officeholders. The better quality the people, the better quality governing can be. What we are after is protection innovation for each person. Oppressive laws and relationships can stifle it. Some cultures spend more time chasing violations than encouraging innovation. This is a waste of time for lawmakers, enforcement, and the citizens alike. This can hold true in family relationships too. The more a person lives under another's shadow, the less of that person can shine in their own passions. But we need each other's help. So this is why we set criteria and limits yet still push them. The objective is to help one another get what they want out of life, but not use each other. It takes strong individualism along with realistic cooperation. We are working with humans though and wrong perceptions can be hard to break.