Unit One: Understanding Civics and Ethics

UNIT ONE: UNDERSTANDING CIVICS AND ETHICS
UNIT ONE
1. UNDERTANDING CIVICS AND ETHICS
INTRODUTION
Civics and Ethics or civic and ethical education is an emerging field of the study in the field of science.
After 1990s, the official launching of democracy and democratization process among countries which were,
hitherto ruled under dictatorial regimes across nearly half part of the world revived the significance of
civics or civic Education. In some country it is included in the official curriculums as citizenship
Education. In some countries it has been named under-citizenship for Democracy. And in most cases it has
retained the name of Civics or civic Education. In our country Civics and Ethics or civic and Ethical
Education is the title given to it. Despite variations in nomenclature, there have been foundational
principles and values that are treated under the discipline. The issue of constitutional democracy and
Human Rights has been the core values and issues are the common denominator across countries. The
emphasis on the rights and duties of citizens however varies. In some countries the focus has been on the
civil and political rights of citizens and the reciprocal relationship among citizens, between citizens and
states. In country such as Ethiopia the scope and dimensions of citizenship is comprehensive covering wide
range of issues and domains of society.
This unit thus, focuses on the meaning, scope and dimension of citizenship, the rational and objectives of
civics and ethics, and the competences of good citizens. The unit is organized in to three lessons. The first
Lesson, deals with the meanings of civics and Ethics, and the scope and dimensions of citizenship and the
historical evolution of civic education in Ethiopia. The second lesson deals with the objectives and the
fundamental values of civics and Ethics. The third part of the unit focuses on the minimum and maximum
competences of good citizenship
Unit Objectives
At the end of the unit students will be able to:
 Identify different dimensions of their rights recognized by the constitutions

 Realizes that duties and rights are correlative
 Identify the basic objectives and rationales
 Differentiate the competences of good citizenship
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BDU, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, DEPARTEMENT OF CIVICS AND ETHICAL STUDIES
Resources
 Heywood, Andrew (2005) Political theory: An Introduction. New York

 FDRE (1995) The Constitution of The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
LESSON ONE: UNDERSTANDING THE MEANING AND SCOPES OF CIVICS AND ETHICS
Introduction
Civics and ethics deals with the reciprocal relationships of rights and duties established among citizens, and
between citizens and the state. It deals with the reciprocal roles and privileges that state and citizen have
with respect to the economic domain, cultural domain, social domain, developmental domain and
environmental domains of the society. This lesson provides conceptual frameworks and describes the
different scopes, and dimensions of civics and Ethics in Ethiopia.
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
 Define the meanings of civics and Ethics
 Describe the historical development of civic education
 Identify the scopes of civics and Ethics
 Describes the different dimensions of citizenship in Ethiopia
 Identify the duties and responsibilities as defined in the constitution
Dear learner! What do you understand by the phrase Civics and Ethics?
Civics and Ethics and citizenship education are synonymous words that are widely used across countries.
As evident in different countries, Citizenship education primarily deals with the rights and duties of citizens
in a state or political system. It deals with the reciprocal relationship of state and citizens with respect to the
legally defined rights and obligation. In some countries, citizenship education primarily focuses on the civil
and political rights of citizens and the respective obligation as well as rights of state as defined by the
constitution. In such countries the rights of citizens are only limited to civil and political rights. As such the
right to elect and to be elected, the right to hold political views and freedom of expression, association,
right of privacy, life, security, the right to be treated equally and so on and so forth. These rights
presuppose the non intervention of the state in the social and economical conditions of the society. And
hence the only obligation that is expected from the state and citizens is not to infringe the rights of other
individuals. Beyond respecting the rights of citizens the state is required to enforce peace, order and
stability. So, the state does not have obligation to full fill the needs of the citizens such employment, social
services and provisions.
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In some other countries the scope of rights are extended to social and economic rights. Some countries,
especially Scandinavians regions are said to be welfare. Such welfare state do have obligation to full fill the
social and economic needs of the citizens. Thus, In addition to ensuring peace and stability and order, such
kinds of states do have social and economic responsibilities to its citizens.
In countries like Ethiopia the scope of rights and duties are vast. As indicated in the third chapter of the
constitutions, the state has economical, social, environmental and developmental obligations. In addition to
ensuring peace and security, law and order at, the state has also cultural responsibilities. Citizens, on the
other hand do have civil, political, socio-economic, cultural, developmental and environmental rights.
The constitution has recognized group rights in addition to individual rights. Accordingly, there are bundles
of rights given to children, women, Nation, Nationalities and Peoples, Labor, pastoralists, and farmers of
Ethiopia.
Activity: 1
1. Please go through the FDRE Constitution and try to list out the rights of women
and children?
Dear Learner: when we see the pattern of the distributions of rights and duties, they are shared reciprocally
among citizens, and between citizens and the state. Horizontally, rights and duties are reciprocally
correlated among citizens. That is a persons right can fully be enjoyed if he/she respects the rights of other
persons.
When we see the vertical relations, that is, between the citizens and the state, rights and duties are
reciprocally shared. For example, citizens are entitled to have access to education; the responsibility to full
fill this service lays on the state. In this regard the state claims the right to collect taxes/revenue/ from
citizens. And hence citizens do have obligation to pay taxes.
So, there is definitely fair distribution of burdens and rights among and between citizens.
In some political systems, like monarchies, and dictatorships, we have seen in the past, rights and duties
have not been shared. Indeed the state had more rights over the citizens. And citizens had only mere
obligation than rights. As evidenced in the monarchical era of Ethiopia, the peoples did not have citizenship
status. They were referred as subjects.
 Subjects are peoples who hardly have rights but have duties to fulfill.
During the Emperor Hailessilassie time Moral Education had been offered with the purpose of creating
passive ``citizens”. The term citizen is a misnomer because the people did not have any political or social
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or economical rights to claim. The appropriate term which was evidently used by the 1931 Constitution was
Subjects-to mean the people. As the king claimed to be the ``Elect of God``, the peoples did not have
political rights to elect and get elected on the basis of universal franchise. The very purpose of moral
education at the time was to thus, inculcate the divine right theory and the Solomonic legend so that people
would accept his kingship with out any claim against his absolute power.
During the Durgue time, citizens hardly had political and civil rights. As a matter of fact the Durgue ruled
the country with out any constitution. For about 10 and more years the country was ruled under mere force
and arbitrarily enacted proclamations. We can say that physical force-coercion was the source of the
government power than consent of the people. Political education had been given with aim of
indoctrinating the ideology of the government. Socialism was the guiding ideology that the citizens needed
to learn about it.
Due to this the people’s economic rights, let alone political rights, had been infringed upon.
Dear learner, the concept of citizen and citizenship is related to democracy. Because when we talk about
citizen we are referring a person who has right and of course with duty. And citizenship is a status that is
established between citizens and the state with regard to the sharing of rights and duties. In democracy,
citizenship, then, implies the sharing of duties or burdens and rights. However in undemocratic systems
citizens enjoys no or little rights but are expected to fulfill duties.
Activity: 2
1. In democracy rights and duties are shared among citizens and the state?
As explained above the scope and focuses of civics and ethics-citizenship education varies from countries
to countries. It reflects the concrete legal, social, political and economic conditions and the visions of
respective society. And civic and ethical education of Ethiopia reflects the social, cultural, Political and
economic realities and the visions and future prospects of the country.
In Ethiopian context civics and Ethics is a multidisciplinary field of study that primarily deals with the
duties, rights and expected roles of citizens and the state in the social, economical, political and cultural
affairs of the country. Its focus is not limited to the legal rights and duties of citizens, but also extends to
the moral rights and duties of citizens and the state.
Activity: 3
1. Can you distinguish between legal rights and moral rights?
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Civics and Ethics thus teaches citizens about the socio-cultural, economic and political conditions,
challenges and prospects of the country.
 Ethics and civics deals with the reciprocal relationships of rights and duties that is
established between citizens and the State, and among citizens themselves with regard
to political, cultural, social, economical, environmental and developmental affairs of
the country or the society.
Accordingly one can identify at least five categories of citizenship in the Federal Democratic Republic
Ethiopia Constitution: political citizenship, economic and developmental citizenship, social citizenship,
cultural citizenship, environmental citizenship.
Cultural citizenship implies the rights and responsibilities established among cultural groups and
individuals and state. One of the cultural rights, for instance is related to the equality of language. In this
regard, Article 5 proclaimed that all languages shall enjoy equal state recognition.
 As stipulated in Article 39 (2) every nation nationality and people in Ethiopia has the
right to speak, to write, and develop its own language; to express, to develop and to
promote its culture; and to preserve its history.
As
indicated in Article 41(9) the state has the responsibility to protect and preserve historical, cultural legacies,
and to contribute to the promotion of the arts and sports.
Activity: 4
1. Can you explain the duties of citizens that are associated or correlated with cultural
rights?
Political citizenship involves the reciprocal relations ship of rights and duties which are established among
citizens and between citizens and states with regard to the political affairs or domains of the country.
In this regard, for instance, Article 38 stipulated that every citizen has the right to vote and to be elected.
Here the obligation of the state is to ensure peace and order, and thus the state is not expected to intervene
in the election process.
Activity: 5
1. Can you explain the duties of citizens that are associated or correlated with cultural
rights?
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Another dimension of citizenship is social citizenship. The whole notion of economic and social
citizenship has been captured by the following provisions as revealed in Article 41 from sub articles one to
eight.
1. Every Ethiopian has the right to engage freely in economic activities and to pursue a livelihood of
his choice anywhere within the national territory.
2. Every Ethiopian has the right to choose his or her means of livelihood, occupation and profession.
3. Every Ethiopian national has the right to equal access to publicly funded social services.
4. The state has the obligation to allocate ever increasing resources to provide to public health,
education and other social services.
5. The state shall, within available means, allocate resources to provide rehabilitation and assistance
to the physically and mentally disabled, aged, and to children who are left with out parents or
guardians.
6. The state shall pursue policies which aim to expand job opportunities for the unemployed and the
poor and shall accordingly undertake programs and public works and projects.
Activity: 6
1. Dear learner: all the above provisions aim at improving the economic and social
conditions of citizens. Do you think the obligation to fulfill and realize such goals
falls on the state only? What are the expected duties of citizens in this regard?
Another important dimension of citizenship is developmental citizenship. This notion of citizenship has
been reflected in Article 43 of the constitution. The following are the main provisions:
1. The people of Ethiopia as a whole, and each Nation, Nationalities and People in Ethiopia have the
right to improved living standards and to sustainable development.
2. Nationals (citizens) have the right to participate in the national development and, in particular, to
be consulted with respect to policies and projects affecting their community.
3. All international agreements and relations concluded, established….shall protect and ensure
Ethiopia’s right to sustainable development.
4. The basic aim of development activities shall be to enhance the capacity of citizens for
development and to meet their basic needs.
Dear learner, what do you think is the duty of citizens? You know poverty and under development
undermine the freedom of citizens to live a descent life-free from hunger, malnutrition and diseases. So,
citizens have an obligation to be come hard working and industriousness. It is when the efforts and citizens
are combined that citizen can won economic freedoms-or freedom from poverty. So, developmental
citizenship shares obligations and burdens fairly among citizens, between citizens and the state.
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What do you think will be the role of civil societies and international donor organization in ensuring
sustainable development? You know fighting poverty and hunger has becoming the responsibilities of all
actors at each level of human association. The family, the community, the local government, the federal
government and the international organizations have moral obligations to eradicate poverty from the scene
of the world.
Developmental right presupposes the, among other things, solidarity and cooperation among all actors
concerned from the local to international level.
The Last, but not the least category of citizenship is what is referred as environmental citizenship. Article
44 of the constitutions provides that:
1. All persons have the right to a clean and healthy environment
2. All persons who have been displaced or whose livelihoods have been adversely affected as result of
state programme have the right to compensation, including relocation with adequate state
assistance.
As indicated in sub article one, citizens have rights to live in a healthy environment. Such notion of
citizenship is similar to developmental rights in sense that the realization of it requires all concerned bodies
starting from each individual citizen to international organizations or international communities
Activity: 7
1. What are the roles/obligations of citizens to ensure healthy environment which is
free from pollutions and all that?
LESSON TWO: RATIONALES OF CIVICS AND ETHICS
Introduction
The very purpose of learning Civics and Ethics is to create good citizens. Good citizens are not right-based
only. They posses duties also. Citizens do have correlated duties that particularly emanates form the nature
of the citizenship rights. In this lesson, an attempt is made to introduce students about the very purposes
and rationales of learning civics and Ethics in the country. Attention is given to the ELVEN VALUES of
Civic and Ethics
Objectives
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At the End of the Lesson, Students will be able to:

 Identify and inculcate the Eleven Values
 Identify their roles in different affairs of the society
 Develop positive values to wards democracy, its values, principles
 Develop positive values to diversity
Dear Learner! Why we learn Civics and Ethics?
 Democracy needs to be reborn in every generation and education is its midwife. John
Dewey
As you
know the concept and practice of democracy is foreign to Ethiopia. In order to build up democracy, citizens
need to know about democracy, its principles, values, processes, structures, challenges and prospects. In
addition to such knowledge, citizens are required to up hold democratic values and exercise them in their
day to day decision making processes. As the saying goes democracy with out democrats will not sustain.
The commitments and democratic qualities of citizens are most required to having a well-functioning and
sustainable democratic system in the country.
Democratic citizens are not born but they are created through education. So we learn civics and Ethics to up
hold democratic principles and values and exercise them. Indeed civics and Ethics teaches you about self
government.
Dear learner! There are different levels of self government. The primary level of self government is the
individual realm. In democracy citizens are required to govern themselves with the external impositions
and coercions. The family could be taken as the secondary level wherein democracy could be exercised.
Activity: 1
1. Would explain how democracy is being exercised in your schools? Please identify
the challenges if there is any?
The second major rational why we learn civics is to have good knowledge and awareness about the social
and economic conditions and challenges of the country. As a matter of fact Ethiopia is one of the poorest
countries in the world. The country has been hit by famine and food shortage. Its economy has been
vulnerable to climate change and erratic whether condition. For long the country has been aid dependent
because of low economic performances. As the society lives under extensive poverty for many decades,
and perhaps, centuries, this definitely has adverse effect on the democratization process.
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So, the creating citizens who ensures their freedom from poverty, disease and ignorance requires
knowledge and awareness about these facts. In civics and ethics we learn thus, about the socio-economic
conditions of the country. This definitely will scale up the general knowledge of citizens which would
motivate them to become hard working and economical citizens.
Activity: 2
1. What do we mean by self-reliant citizen? Can you describe a hard working and self-
reliant citizens?
Dear learner: These are only few of the reasons why we learn civics and ethics. We can generally say that
the ultimate rational for learning civics and ethics is to create good citizenship.
Before we see the qualities of good citizens, what do you think citizen mean?
Citizen refers to a person who has rights and duties with bound of a certain political system or country. A
person can automatically acquire citizenship status at birth through either of birth place or blood line. So,
becoming citizen is a base line but is not a guarantee to become good citizen.
Whom do you think is a good citizen?
A good citizen is one who:
 Up holds democracy and support the democratic system

 Pursue wisdom
 Respects law
 Actively participates in the cultural, socio-economic and political affairs of the society
 Develops culture of saving
 Is hard working and industrious
 Is patriotic for his country and peoples
 Responsible
 Up holds and fights for the realization equality of groups and individuals
 Stands for justice and fairness
 Is self-reliant and confident
As indicated in the table one important indicator of good citizen is that the positive tendency and effort of
the citizen to up hold democratic values, principles and structures of the political system. As you know
democracy implies a political system whereby the supreme power vests on the people. The source of the
government power is the people and the people are the government. Do you remember the Abraham
Lincolns definition of democracy?
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Democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. This definition tells you
three important things:
1. In democracy the sources of government power is the people themselves. It is not the divine power
or force that leads to the formation of democratic government.
2. People can exercise democracy directly or indirectly. i.e. the government requires the participation
of the people.
3. The ultimate purpose of government is to serve the people not vice versa
Upholding democracy means, there fore, accepting the view that the people are the source of political
power. Citizens need to believe that the government is made up of themselves. Election is the tool to form
government.
Activity: 3
1. Do you think that having a democratic belief is enough to build up democratic
system? Discuss the expected role of the citizens?
Another important quality of which expected from good citizen is his/her tendency and action to be
governed by the law of the country. In democracy, the constitution is the highest law that both the officials
and the peoples should observe. In line with the constitutions there are hierarchy of laws that governs the
actions and behaviors of citizens. And good citizen not only respects laws, but also fights those who violate
laws. So, a good citizen is not a bystander when he/she comes across a person doing illegal activities.
 A good citizen not only respects laws, but also fights those who violate laws.
Activity: 4
1. What are the mechanisms that citizens expose illegal persons? Can you list them?
Good citizens are also active participants in the affairs of the society or the community. In the country like
Ethiopia, where problems are compounded, the role of citizen should go beyond political participations. As
we mentioned earlier, no doubt, democracy requires the participation of citizens, not only, during election
but also before and after elections. How ever that is not enough citizens are expected to engage them selves
in community services.
Activity: 5
1. Can you mention some areas that citizens, especially the youth and students can go
for community service?
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Another cardinal quality that good citizens need to develop is equality. You know there are different forms
of equality: Gender equality, equality of Nations, Nationalities and Peoples, equality of individuals are
some, but very essential values which are recognized by the constitution. Citizens are expected to up hold
and show commitment for the realization of theme.
Activity: 6
1. Can you mention some of the rights that are considered to be the manifestations of
Nations and nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopia?
Good citizens are also expected to stand for justice and fights any form of unfair discrimination in the
society. As you have learned in lower schools there are three types of justice:
1. distributive justice
2. corrective justice
3. procedural justice
As you know procedural and corrective justice are concerned with the fair or the equal treatment of the
individual with respects to giving equal access to information, and attaching penalties or rewards in the
compensation.
Distributive justice however implies the fair distribution of resources and benefits to all sections of society.
It involves affirmative action policy intervention so as to ensure equality principles.
Activity: 7
1. Can you explain the relation between equality and justice?
Dear Learner, as you might remember in your lower grade, good citizens have also a a duty to improve
themselves. Ignorance is one manifestation of poverty. Good citizens are those who fight ignorance.
Education, both formal and informal is critically significant to boost of our thinking horizon. In these
competitive world citizens are expected to be capable and skillful. Knowledge can be broadening not only
in schools or universities; citizens have ample opportunities to upgrade themselves. One source of
knowledge and information could be internet. Another could be books, media, and others.
Knowledge is critical in democracy. As you know decisions are made on the basis of discussion and
persuasion. To persuade your colleagues, you need to be informed, and of course articulative. Knowledge
helps you develop skill of critical thinking. What is critical thinking? It is a stage where a person argues or
counter argues with evidences and reasons. Here emotions and passions, and mere opinions are not
manifestations of critical thinking.
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Some of the challenges of critical thinking involves: Resistance/ alishenef bay/, distractions, personal abuse
and the like. In any dialogue and discussion, citizens should not attack the personality of the discussants,
rather it is expected that citizen attacks the view or the position. Attacking the personality of the discussants
might lead to conflicts.
Activity: 8
1. Can you identify some other challenges of critical thinking?
To sum up, the ultimate purpose of civic and Ethics education is to create competent and responsible
citizen who can effectively participate in the social, cultural, economical, environmental and political
affairs or domains of the country. In short, we can say that the purpose of the course aims at creating good
citizenship. So, active participation is the manifested qualities of good citizen. But you have to bear in mind
that any kind of participation my have dysfunctional. All activities and participation of good citizen are
always justifiable and responsible. That is, the activities of citizens need to be justified morally and legally.
Thus, good citizens need to make sure that their actions and activities in the society are inline with the
cherished values and norms and legal rules of the country.
LESSON THREE: COMPETENCES OF GOOD CITIZENS
Introduction
Active or effective participation of citizens in the multifaceted problems of the society is an imperative.
Any kind of participation may not be successful and bring change in the society. What is required is
informed decision and action. For that citizens need to have competences which include civic knowledge,
civic skills and civic attitudes. This lesson describes the competences required from good citizens,
including civic knowledge, civic skills and civic dispositions.
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
 identify virtues of good citizens

 inculcate the civic attitudes
 grasp the need to have civic skills
Dear Learner: What are the competences that are expected from Good citizen? As we have indicated above,
mere membership to a certain state or political society does not qualify a person to be good citizen. Every
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one us are having Ethiopian citizenship states just because we are born from our parents. Good citizenship
needs qualifications beyond mere membership to a country.
 Dear students there are two ways of acquiring citizenship: Birth place/ jus soile/ and
Blood Line/ jus sanguiness/. A child can automatically acquire citizenship of one
country where it is born. This is commonly applicable in western countries as well as
U.S America. In countries like Ethiopia and many African countries, a child
automatically acquires the citizenship status of his parents, irrespective of the birth
place.
As the roles
of good citizens are multifaceted and many, there are minimum competences that are required from them.
These are civic Knowledge, civic skills and civic attitudes. Civic knowledge implies general information
and awareness about the social, Cultural, political, environmental, historical and economical conditions and
realities of the past and the present and also the challenges and prospects ahead of the country. Citizens
need to know their country, its peopling, history, culture, resources and the like. To that end, knowledge of
history, politics (democracy, constitutions, state and government), sociology, globalization, environment,
philosophy, and economics is very valuable.
Dear learner, the sources of information is not limited to formal education where you learn through reading
books and documents. Informally you can also get information, through media, internet, attending
meetings, and so on.
Activity: 1
1. Dear Learner, in developing countries citizens, specially educated ones are having
difficulties to know their own countries realities and conditions. More often, talking
about the west films, foot ball starts, and the like seemed to be easier than talking
about foot ball stars and film stars of their home country. What do you think the
problem lays? Can we say that such persons have civic Knowledge?
 The pursuance of knowledge for the sake of knowledge doesn’t infer civic knowledge.
Civic knowledge is instrumental to bring change of attitude and ultimately leads to
taking appropriate action. So, we learn not for the sake of learning, but we learn for
action.
Another component, which required from citizens, is what we call civic attitudes. Civic attitudes involve
those character traits, or dispositions which are engrained in the mind of citizens. Civic attitudes or
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orientation will develop once citizens acquired civic knowledge. In order to discharge ones responsibility,
for example, community service, citizens need to develop positive out look and concern for the community.
Altruistic qualities are required to help the poor and vulnerable ones in the community.
Can you mention some of the civic attitudes required from good citizens?
The first and primary disposition that is required from good citizen is tolerance. Political tolerance and
cultural tolerance is critical to build up democratic system in our country. In democracy, peoples are
allowed to hold and express their own political view. As result of such freedom, different view are
circulated and reflected in the society. That is the beauty of democracy. Citizens will have options to
choose in such political markets. In order to ensure the freedom of expression an assembly, the culture of
tolerance is a pillar. So, tolerance could mean accommodation of political differences. At societal level,
tolerance would mean, for instance, a peaceful co-existence of different cultural, linguistic and religious
communities. In Ethiopia where you have more than 80 linguistic communities, tolerance becomes critical.
It would include, then, accepting diversity, valuing diversity and respecting diversity.
 Accepting diversity: it refers to recognizing the fact that Ethiopia is diverse and plural
having different cultural, linguistic, religious and social structures.
Valuing diversity: implies that citizens need to appreciate diversity. Diversity is
natural and hence need to be valued positively. It provides options for citizens, too.
Respect: diversity need to be respected. Respect is the key principle to live with
difference.
Another vital disposition of good citizen is open-mindedness. It implies citizens’ readiness to enter
dialogue, listen others and change positions consequently. In dialogue the stronger idea wins! A related, but
different disposition is what we all it civic mindedness. This implies citizens’ readiness to scarify their
individual interests and values for the sake of promoting the collective inters tot common good. It involves
the altruistic qualities of citizens. So, good citizens always stand for the public interest and die for it!
Loyalty is another element of civic dispositions. Loyalty involves things like keeping promises or keeping
ones words, keeping relationship. Loyalty is required at different capacity of citizen. For example an office
holder or official is expected to be loyal to the people that voted for him. Similarly the civil servant is
expected to serve the public loyally. In doing so, a public servant or employee is expected to respect the
rules and regulations of the employer.
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Activity: 2
1. Let assume that you are ordered to hire the wife of your boss in certain organization
with out vacancy announcement. You know that the rules to employ new employee
requires announcement of vacancy. What are you going to do? Are you going to do
it or refuse your boss? Does loyalty always mean enforcing the decision of the
boss?
In addition, good citizens are expected to govern their own behaviors with out fear of external actors. As
the saying goes virtuous citizens’ act virtuously!
Aristotelian notion of virtue implies the ability to do the right thing at the right time in the right way for the
right purpose. Citizens are expected to act virtuously at any circumstance of life. We know that a robber
would act rightly in the presence of police. But we know that the Robber might do his business -robbery
after the police leave the place.
Activity: 3
1. Identify other dispositions and get to know the meanings of each?
Civic Skills: Civic skills are the third elements which are required from good citizens. These involve skills
of decision making, communication, conflict resolution, compromise, persuasion, creativity and the
like. The following can be listed in this regard:
 To take part in political discussions; consciousness of current political issues; to be able to evaluate
a position or decision, take a position, defend a position
 To resolve conflicts in a peaceful way
 To interpret the media messages (interests and value systems that are involved etc.)
 To have media skills to look, choose, and ‘use the buttons’
 To have language competence, reading and writing;
 To be capable in critical handling of information and information technology;
 To possess communication skills
 To know how to vote; to monitor and influence policies and decisions
 To use the media in an active way (not as consumer, but as producer of media content)
 To participate in voluntary organizations;
 To build coalitions; to co-operate; to interact
 To be capable to handle multiculturalism
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In order to participate effectively, thus, Citizens are required to have competence of civic knowledge,
attitude and skill.
Dear Learner! Minimally expected forms of participation might include the following:
1. Political participation. This could involve voting during elections at different levels of government, be it
at kebele, wereda, Regioal and national level. Influencing the decision making when opportunities are
offered or via informal ways. It can also involve another form. Citizens can come up for their own
interest by contacting civil servants of politicians.
2. Social participation: Citizens becoming a member of voluntary associations, take active participation in
that association
3. Cultural participation: this might include citizens’ participation to fight exclusion and discrimination and
promote social cohesion. Fight exclusion and discrimination, Promote social cohesion and inclusion
4. Economic participation: Contribute to the production process, consume or buy national products, save
money.
Dear learner: if we expect citizens to vote, to participate in local decision-making, to be active in civil
society, that they do not discriminate, and be active in their work place what minimal information, attitude
and skills does a citizen then need?
Vote: In order to be able to vote, citizens need knowledge and insight in the essence of the political
system; in the way the representative system functions in a parliamentary democracy; how the separation
of powers is organized; what the role is of political parties; know the differences between political parties;
read party programme; understand how election campaigns function; they should know how votes are cast,
how the counting and allocation of seats in parliament works, how to establish a political party, how a new
government is formed after elections.
Influencing Decision making: Citizens need to know how the formal and actual policy- and decision-
making takes place (at local, state and federal level, what the role is of civil servants, the elected, the
(local) government, advisory councils, ways of influencing policymaking; know how to contact officials,
collect information, contact interest groups and political parties; know how societal wishes are transferred
in political demands; what the role is of the media; know how the implementation of decisions can be
influenced.
Bureaucracy: Know what institutions or organizations to contact for specific problems.
16
Civil society: Know what organizations play a role in society in between government and the society.
What their role is in the democratic process. How to become a member of voluntary associations. Know
how the boards of these associations function.
Exclusions: Fight discrimination in personal relations at the workplace, in the neighborhood, at school
etc.
Underdevelopment: Worry about third world poverty. Fight inequality. Know what role national and
international organizations play in relieving poverty. Know the role of voluntary organizations in this field.
Activity: 4
1. What do you think the maximum competences that citizens should show up?
UNIT SUMMARY
In this unit we have discussed that civics and ethics deals primarily with the reciprocal relations ships of
rights and duties which are established among citizens, between citizens and the state with regard to
political, social-economic, cultural, developmental and environmental domains of the society. The ultimate
purpose of learning civics and ethics is to create good citizenship. And a good citizen is the one who up
holds democracy, respects the laws of the country, hardworking and self-reliant, responsible, patriotic,
seeks knowledge and stands for justice, equality and truth. To be come good citizen, then one has to have
good knowledge-civic knowledge, skills and attitudes. The goodness of citizens are tested in terms of their
participation and caliber to solve societal problems. Good citizens are those who actively participate in the
social, cultural, political, economical, developmental and environmental issues and problems of the society.
To that end, citizens need to have good knowledge about the socio-economic, social, political and
environmental condition of the country. Besides, they are required to show commitments and positive
tendencies or inclinations to promote the public interest, to help the poor and the disabled, to uphold
equality of groups and individuals. On to of these civic skills are critical to undertake ones mission
successfully. Skills related to communication, problem solving, persuasion, debating, peaceful ways of
conflict resolutions and the like.
CHECK LIST
17
S.N ITEMS YES NO

1 Can you define civics and Ethics
2 Can you identify and distinguish the scope of citizenship Ethiopia
3 Can you list out the Eleven Values of Civics and Ethics
4 Can you distinguish the competences of good citizenship
5 Have you understood the reciprocal nature of rights and duties
6 Can you identify some civic attitudes of good citizen
7 Have you understood the essence of civic knowledge
8 Can you mention at least five skills-civic skills
If your answer for the above question is NO then please go through the reading material again!
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Unit One: Understanding Civics and Ethics

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Unit One: Understanding Civics and Ethics

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UNIT ONE: UNDERSTANDING CIVICS AND ETHICS

1. UNDERTANDING CIVICS AND ETHICS

At the end of the unit students will be able to:

 Identify different dimensions of their rights recognized by the constitutions

 Heywood, Andrew (2005) Political theory: An Introduction. New York

LESSON TWO: RATIONALES OF CIVICS AND ETHICS

At the End of the Lesson, Students will be able to:

Dear Learner! Why we learn Civics and Ethics?

A good citizen is one who:

 Up holds democracy and support the democratic system

LESSON THREE: COMPETENCES OF GOOD CITIZENS

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

 identify virtues of good citizens

Bureaucracy: Know what institutions or organizations to contact for specific problems.

S.N ITEMS YES NO

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