Citizen in the Analects of Confucius

A good citizen ought to have a number of qualities and behave in a certain way. To determine what it means to be a good citizen, one could consult the Analects of Confucius and relate the teachings therein to current events and happenings. From the onset, it would be prudent to point out that a significant portion of Confucius' teachings dwelt on the subject of good governance and other equally important social teachings.

To begin with, it is important to note that to be a good citizen, one ought to accept their role in the society. When questioned on government, Confucius replied in no uncertain terms that the ruler ought to be a ruler, and the subject ought to be a subject (Watson 17). A good citizen respects the hierarchies of power. Further, still on respecting the hierarchies of power, Confucius pointed out that...
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