What is the role of civic virtue in republican theory?

• A. Civic virtue is irrelevant to republican government.
• B. Citizens' active pursuit of the common good and willingness to restrain self-interest sustain self-government and prevent corruption.
• C. Only elites are responsible for self-government.
• D. Civic virtue undermines efficient policy.

Answer: (B)

In republican theory, civic virtue is the willingness of citizens to place the common good above private interests and to participate actively in public life, restraining self-interest to sustain self-government and guard against corruption. This moral foundation is what makes a republic possible: people stay engaged, follow laws, and hold leaders accountable, preventing factions and corrupt power from eroding liberty. That’s why the emphasis is on citizens actively pursuing the common good and restraining personal gain; without that virtue, self-government cannot endure and corruption can take hold. The other views miss this central idea: virtue isn’t irrelevant, nor does it belong only to elites, and it isn’t about sacrificing policy for virtue—it's about aligning governance with the public interest through active, virtuous participation.