CIVIC ENGAGEMENT refers to participation that connects citizens to government. Civic engagement plays a vital role in politics, particularly in the context of governments that fall into the nonauthoritarian political system, such as the U.S. (recall that the U.S. has an indirect democracy – more specifically, a constitutional federal republic). “In the United States, citizens play an important role in influencing what policies are pursued, what values the government chooses to support, what initiatives are granted funding, and who gets to make the final decisions” (American Government, Ch. 1).
Perhaps the most obvious example of a pathway to civic engagement is voting; however, there are several other ways in which citizens can engage in politics and government.
Civic engagement is impacted by many factors, including age, wealth, education, and how strongly a person feels about an issue. Generally speaking, wealthier, older, and more educated citizens are those most likely to engage with government. This has implications; after all, government is most responsive to the needs and desires of those who engage.