Which statement best summarizes the role citizens play in a democracy?

A. Citizens are expected to actively participate in the political process. B. Citizens are expected to serve as representatives in the legislature.

C. Citizens are expected to disregard all laws and policies they dislike.

D. Citizens are expected to ensure that democracies are as direct as possible.

A, citizens are expected to actively participate in the political process

Citizens are expected to actively participate in the political process.

A democracy cannot function well unless the people (the "demos" in ancient Greek language) take an active role in educating themselves about issues in society and participating in civic life. Citizens exercise their rights to free speech and freedom of assembly, and especially cast their votes on issues (in referendum ballots) and for candidates for leadership offices. Some citizens may run for public offices and serve in that way, but all citizens are expected to be part of the political processes that keep the city, state or country operating in beneficial ways.

In his famous work from the 1830s, Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville put great stress upon the direct involvement of all citizens in the democratic functioning of society, through their regular association with one another in civic groups. Tocqueville urged that in a democracy, individual citizens need to learn to unite in association with one another to work as a group to protect their freedoms against the encroachment of tyranny. Tocqueville said that the most democratic country on earth is, above all, where individuals have "most perfected the art of pursuing the object of their common desires in common." He thought there is a "necessary relation between associations and equality."