UNIT 7 - Democracy and citizenship

TOPIC 33 WE ARE ALL CITIZENS

SKILL: CS.4.3.10. Recognize the connection of citizens with the

country through the State and the exercise of citizenship.

VOCABULARY

SocialActors:Collectivesubjects.Theyareallthosegroups, movements, sectors or

organizations that intervene in social life.
Consensus: Agreement produced by consent between all the members of a group or
between several groups.
 1. WHAT IS IT TO BE A CITIZEN?

In Ecuador, as in the rest of the world, citizens have expanded in a historical

process of extension of democracy. When the Republic was founded, only those
over 21 years old, males, alphabets, who had permanent income or property and
who were not servants or employees of others, were considered citizens. In 1861,
the property requirement and the prohibition of being a dependent worker to
choose were abolished. In 1884 the ownership base to be elected was eliminated.
With the Liberal Revolution, citizenship was extended to certain peasant sectors,
but only in 1928 was a woman's vote established, thanks to the struggle of
prominent figures such as Matilde Hidalgo de Procel. With the accelerated
development of literacy in the fifties and sixties, the number of electors increased.

In 1978 the Constitution established the right to voluntary vote of the illiterate. In
1998 the Constitution gave a universal reach to the citizenship, establishing that all
Ecuadorians, without limit of property, age or gender, are citizens. In 2008 the
Constitution maintained the principle of universal citizenship, and expanded it in
some way so that the condition of foreigner is progressively eliminated. Citizenship
is the legal link of rights and duties of people, of Ecuadorians, with the Republic of
Ecuador. It is the Ecuadorian citizenship that makes us part of the country,
although for the exercise of certain rights to elect and be elected, a certain age
must be met and, in the case of foreigners, residence of five years is required in
order to vote.

2. WHAT IS IT TO BE A CITIZEN?
With this constitutional renewal a great step was taken, since, in addition to
modernizing a fundamental institution, the bases have been laid for consolidating
an element of national unity beyond diversities. Citizenship is common to all; it is
what makes us equal. Men and women, mestizos, Indians and blacks, hill-dweller
(serranos), from the coast (costeños), amazonians and islanders, catholics,
protestants and agnostics, rich and poor, we are all equal when we enjoy the same
rights and we have the same obligations. The Constitution and the law guarantee
diversity, but by recognizing us as citizens, they establish a principle of equality,
the foundation of democracy and national unity. If we want to deepen and
consolidate democracy in Ecuador and be social actors of it, we must learn to live
in democracy. This task is complex and takes time, because it is a process that
involves not only a change of statements but, above all, attitudes.

3. EDUCATION FOR CITIZENSHIP

A fundamental element in the development of democracy is the promotion of
education, which prepares citizens for life and work. At the same time, it
consolidates a vision of the country, its reality and its future. Health services are a
basic element in the development of democracy. Only a healthy people is able to
educate themselves, to work productively and to exercise their rights and duties as
citizens. But democracy also requires security for the entire population. In this field,
our country has suffered a deterioration. Crime has increased and people feel a lot
of insecurity. Despite governmental efforts, the traffic and consumption of narcotics
grows. There are assaults in the streets. Of course, in order to face this situation,
measures of police organization and modernization are needed, but above all,
what must be done is a great effort of prevention. The most efficient guarantee of
security and the best precaution against crime is to attack it in its bases. For this it
is necessary to face corruption, especially in the highest spheres; combat poverty
and social injustice; fight against domestic violence. In fact, although it sounds like
a repetition, democracy goes far beyond its political, juridical or cultural aspects; It
has to do with the validity of social justice. The conditions of extreme poverty in
which millions of people live

Ecuadorians are an everyday attack against democracy. The democratic future of

Ecuador demands, in addition to adequate representation and exercise of rights,
conditions that guarantee minimum levels of subsistence, access to adequate and
dignified work for all, redistribution with equity of wealth, effective struggle against
monopolies and services social networks such as health and education.
 4. THE NEW CONSTITUTION: THE GUARANTEE OF HUMAN RIGHTS TO
ACHIEVE A GOOD LIVING

Ecuador is a Constitutional State of rights and justice, social, democratic,

sovereign, independent, intercultural, plurinational and secular. Art. 1 The
enjoyment of rights and the exercise of responsibilities within the framework of
interculturality and of harmonious coexistence is a condition of Good Living
(Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador, Art. 275) The Good Living is an Andean
cultural concept, that is said in quichua “Sumak Kawsay” and was adopted by all
Ecuadorians in the constitution.