The Responsibilities of American Citizenship (1955)
Title
The Responsibilities of American Citizenship (1955)
Subject
National Education Program
Benson, George S.
Ganus, Cliffton L.
Harding College
American Adventure Series
Fotovox Inc.
Citizenship
Communism
Socialism
Capitalism
Social guidance films
Education
Description
The Responsibilities of American Citizenship was one in a series of films by Drs. George Benson and Clifton Ganus made during the mid-1950's. The film's goal was to educate young people on the duties and responsibilities of American citizenship, and warn them about the threat of communism and socialism. The film opens with the song "America the Beautiful" and mainly focuses on the concepts of American exceptionalism and how the United States is different from other nations. Based on the ideology of American liberalism, the film promoted republicanism, democracy, constitutionalism and individualism. It also praised American capitalism, which was defined as private property, profit, and open market.
Creator
National Education Program Workshop
Ganus, Clifton (National Education Program Workshop Director)
Benson, George (Instructor)
Harding College
Fotovox, Inc. (Producer)
Source
Prelinger Archives
Publisher
National Education Program
Fotovox, Inc.
Date
1955
Contributor
Miller, H Wesley
Rights
Public Domain
Format
Various
Language
English
Type
Moving Image
Identifier
The Responsibilities of American Citizenship. Produced by the National Education Program Workshop, Harding College. Searcy, AR: Fotovox, Inc., 1955. SD, B&W. Accessed January 18, 2016, Web. https://archive.org/details/Responsi1955
Coverage
United States
Searcy, Arkansas
Duration
11:22 minutes
Producer
Fotovox, Inc.
National Education Program Workshop
Director
Benson, George S.
Transcription
[music] (America the Beautiful)
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
Narrator:
Dr. George S. Benson:
When our founding fathers created this republic, they created a political, economic system unique among nations. A system that has lead the United States to the very pinnacle of wealth and world leadership! This series of programs is being presented to help all of us understand better. Our advantages under the American way of life.
Narrator:
For today's topic let's, join now a group of young people at Nation Education Workshop in Seacy, Arkansas. As the classroom lecturen is Dr. Clifton L. Ganus Jr. noticed young historian.
Professor Clifton L. Ganus:
We're discussing today one of the most precious gifts on earth, American citizenship. American citizenship is a combination of freedom and responsibilities. The privileges of freedom come to us at the heritage from many generations pioneering Americans. Responsibilities must be developed by each new generation, by each individual citizen. Some of you maybe ask yourself thatwhy she would be bothered with developing citizenship responsibility? Well there are many reasons, one of the primary reasons is that great principles do not live from generation to generation without being nurtured, without being kept vigorously alive. Unless we understand, and work effectively for the principles, and which are American way of life is found it! The structural crumble, and I heritage of freedom will perish. Another primary reason for the development of citizenship responsibility, Is That we are living in era marked by the growth of socialism. To a substantial degree in one form or another. Socialism has spread the shadow of human regimentation over most of the nations of earth, and the shadow is encroaching on our own liberty. A third major reason for accepting our citizenship responsibility and looking[working] at them. Is the presence within American of socialist and communist propaganda's dedicated establishment of a new order. The communist fifth columnist among us, is working for a world dictatorship. To accomplish this their strategy is to undermine the confidence of our people and the American system and the principals on which it stands. The selfless among us seeks to bring about a gradual change within our system, by gradually destroying the principles of the private ownership property and substituting the socialist principle of government ownership. Now, let's be practical for moment. Is the American way of life worth bothering about? That is with the viewpoint of self interest. Well let's see! We know that under the Stars and Stripes, we have more freedom then most [Inaudible portion] civilized people on earth. Our freedom stems from the fact that America is an republic. Found it on the constitution and dedicated to the principles of democracy, and the worth of the individual, the people rule. But some philosophers tell us that the way to a men's heart is through his stomach. In other words food, the material things in life are dear to the heart. Let's look briefly at the material blessings of America. Our nation, although only containing only six percent of the land area and seven percent of the population of the world. Produces 42 percent of the worlds wealth. We know that the average American in all walks of life, has a living standards twice as high as the best in Europe, where socialism is widespread and five to ten times better then in communist countries, such as Russia and China, and if we remember our previous lessons. We know that this economic abundance is possible in America because the incentive for progress and The other factor is built into our dynamic private enterprise system. Have enable us to utilize our resources to the fullest extent. So we do have good sound reason both abstractly and self interest for developing citizenship responsibilities. Towards safeguarding the basic principles of our way of life. But let's put the full challenge in a few words. The world is caught in an era of socialist expansion, most of the nations are effected, and American is the target, in fact the number one target, of both the socialist and communist. If we permit our great system to crumble, through the apathy of our citizenship. We should lose not only our freedom, but our prosperity and are still a brighter future. But then must we do a citizen? what are our obligations of citizenship? Number one. To understand the American way of life and what makes it tick. For instance we should understand that our form of government is a republic not a pure democracy and we should clearly understand the difference. Who can tell us the difference in a few words?
Female Student:
A pure democracy establishes majority rule, with a minority over run.
Professor Clifton L. Ganus:
Yes it does on the other hand our republic is based on a constitution which protects minority rights.
Male Student:
In the Republic we have representative government. Not sheer majority rule.
Male Student two:
And isn't its authority that it into three brain chiefs the executive legislative and judicial?
Professor Clifton L. Ganus:
Yes it is, and it's important to that in our republic authority is surrounded by an ingenious system of checks and balances that prevents autocratic are dictatorial rule.That is if we maintain the Constitution as our basic law well that replay sums up our political structure.What about our economic structure?
Male Student three:
Our economic system is based on three major principles,
Private ownership of property, the profit motive, and the competitive open market.
Professor Clifton L. Ganus:
Yes those are the three great pillars.Private ownership defuses the wealth and economic power over the very widest area, over our whole population,and makes our people independent, master of their own lives. The profit motive as we have learned is active in all of human behavior and our economic system. The profit motive is the incentive for new development and constantly expanding production. And the open competitive market is where the consumer is king.It is this factor in our economy which brings about better goods and lower prices.As one company after another tries to outdo its competitors and get the consumers business.These are some of the basic facts about our own system which every citizen should know. But not us go on to additional obligations of American citizenship. Number two to understand communism.It's basic godless philosophy. It's goal of World conquest, It's insidious tactics, and it's cunning strategy. Number three on our list of obligations is to understand socialism, and all the cunning disguises in which it presents itself to the American people. Our fourth Obligation is to understand propaganda techniques as used by both the communist and the socialists this is a very vitally important need thousands of good loyal Americans have been duped into actually aiding the communists. Simply because they did not look carefully before they joined some high sounding venture or before they more or less blindly advocated some course of action. Number five in the list of American citizenship obligations. Is to take an interest in your public schools, and in your private and public finance colleges to take an interest in what's being taught and how it's being taught and it take an interest in the welfare of the teachers who contribute so much to the development of America. Number six. In addition to voting in all elections.Become active in government run for local state and national office party help select capable people of the highest integrity to serve. Be constantly vocal on all local and national political issues.Tell your representatives in Congress are even the president himself. What do you think is the best course on issues that come before the public. Number seven. Strive constantly for spiritual growth. We as individuals can push the world along toward mankind's highest destiny.If each of us will make the welfare of his fellow man his first concern, and if each of us will apply the principles of God's truth. To our political and economic affairs. And lastly obligation number eight. Dedicate a part of your everyday life to the bringing of these requirements of American citizenship.To the attention of fellow students. Fellow workers. Neighbors and friends. Is it too much to ask that we fulfill these obligations of citizenship? If we think so we should read again the history of the founding of this nation and consider the hardships of the people who made possible our freedom.They felt that no challenge was too great a freedom was at stake. That spirit carried them on. It created for us the foundation of our great heritage We have seen it flare up and burn brightly and every national emergency. On the battlefields and at home. The socialists. The communists and their followers would like to see the American spirit extinguished. If each of us will rise to the occasion. If every citizen young and old will accept the challenge of his citizenship. Then the socialist and communist and their followers will not prevail and America will go on top of the fulfillment of our great world destiny. This concludes the American Adventure series. Our next series of classes in American way of life, will be out soon. For now class dismiss.
[music]
Closing Credits
Narrator:
The American Adventure series as a production of the National Education Program. Searcy Arkansas. Dr George Benson director, Dr Clifton L. Ganus Jr was our instructor.This is a continuing series based on the unique. Political and economic system which has made America great.Watch for the next presentation of the American Adventure.
Film Ends
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
Narrator:
Dr. George S. Benson:
When our founding fathers created this republic, they created a political, economic system unique among nations. A system that has lead the United States to the very pinnacle of wealth and world leadership! This series of programs is being presented to help all of us understand better. Our advantages under the American way of life.
Narrator:
For today's topic let's, join now a group of young people at Nation Education Workshop in Seacy, Arkansas. As the classroom lecturen is Dr. Clifton L. Ganus Jr. noticed young historian.
Professor Clifton L. Ganus:
We're discussing today one of the most precious gifts on earth, American citizenship. American citizenship is a combination of freedom and responsibilities. The privileges of freedom come to us at the heritage from many generations pioneering Americans. Responsibilities must be developed by each new generation, by each individual citizen. Some of you maybe ask yourself thatwhy she would be bothered with developing citizenship responsibility? Well there are many reasons, one of the primary reasons is that great principles do not live from generation to generation without being nurtured, without being kept vigorously alive. Unless we understand, and work effectively for the principles, and which are American way of life is found it! The structural crumble, and I heritage of freedom will perish. Another primary reason for the development of citizenship responsibility, Is That we are living in era marked by the growth of socialism. To a substantial degree in one form or another. Socialism has spread the shadow of human regimentation over most of the nations of earth, and the shadow is encroaching on our own liberty. A third major reason for accepting our citizenship responsibility and looking[working] at them. Is the presence within American of socialist and communist propaganda's dedicated establishment of a new order. The communist fifth columnist among us, is working for a world dictatorship. To accomplish this their strategy is to undermine the confidence of our people and the American system and the principals on which it stands. The selfless among us seeks to bring about a gradual change within our system, by gradually destroying the principles of the private ownership property and substituting the socialist principle of government ownership. Now, let's be practical for moment. Is the American way of life worth bothering about? That is with the viewpoint of self interest. Well let's see! We know that under the Stars and Stripes, we have more freedom then most [Inaudible portion] civilized people on earth. Our freedom stems from the fact that America is an republic. Found it on the constitution and dedicated to the principles of democracy, and the worth of the individual, the people rule. But some philosophers tell us that the way to a men's heart is through his stomach. In other words food, the material things in life are dear to the heart. Let's look briefly at the material blessings of America. Our nation, although only containing only six percent of the land area and seven percent of the population of the world. Produces 42 percent of the worlds wealth. We know that the average American in all walks of life, has a living standards twice as high as the best in Europe, where socialism is widespread and five to ten times better then in communist countries, such as Russia and China, and if we remember our previous lessons. We know that this economic abundance is possible in America because the incentive for progress and The other factor is built into our dynamic private enterprise system. Have enable us to utilize our resources to the fullest extent. So we do have good sound reason both abstractly and self interest for developing citizenship responsibilities. Towards safeguarding the basic principles of our way of life. But let's put the full challenge in a few words. The world is caught in an era of socialist expansion, most of the nations are effected, and American is the target, in fact the number one target, of both the socialist and communist. If we permit our great system to crumble, through the apathy of our citizenship. We should lose not only our freedom, but our prosperity and are still a brighter future. But then must we do a citizen? what are our obligations of citizenship? Number one. To understand the American way of life and what makes it tick. For instance we should understand that our form of government is a republic not a pure democracy and we should clearly understand the difference. Who can tell us the difference in a few words?
Female Student:
A pure democracy establishes majority rule, with a minority over run.
Professor Clifton L. Ganus:
Yes it does on the other hand our republic is based on a constitution which protects minority rights.
Male Student:
In the Republic we have representative government. Not sheer majority rule.
Male Student two:
And isn't its authority that it into three brain chiefs the executive legislative and judicial?
Professor Clifton L. Ganus:
Yes it is, and it's important to that in our republic authority is surrounded by an ingenious system of checks and balances that prevents autocratic are dictatorial rule.That is if we maintain the Constitution as our basic law well that replay sums up our political structure.What about our economic structure?
Male Student three:
Our economic system is based on three major principles,
Private ownership of property, the profit motive, and the competitive open market.
Professor Clifton L. Ganus:
Yes those are the three great pillars.Private ownership defuses the wealth and economic power over the very widest area, over our whole population,and makes our people independent, master of their own lives. The profit motive as we have learned is active in all of human behavior and our economic system. The profit motive is the incentive for new development and constantly expanding production. And the open competitive market is where the consumer is king.It is this factor in our economy which brings about better goods and lower prices.As one company after another tries to outdo its competitors and get the consumers business.These are some of the basic facts about our own system which every citizen should know. But not us go on to additional obligations of American citizenship. Number two to understand communism.It's basic godless philosophy. It's goal of World conquest, It's insidious tactics, and it's cunning strategy. Number three on our list of obligations is to understand socialism, and all the cunning disguises in which it presents itself to the American people. Our fourth Obligation is to understand propaganda techniques as used by both the communist and the socialists this is a very vitally important need thousands of good loyal Americans have been duped into actually aiding the communists. Simply because they did not look carefully before they joined some high sounding venture or before they more or less blindly advocated some course of action. Number five in the list of American citizenship obligations. Is to take an interest in your public schools, and in your private and public finance colleges to take an interest in what's being taught and how it's being taught and it take an interest in the welfare of the teachers who contribute so much to the development of America. Number six. In addition to voting in all elections.Become active in government run for local state and national office party help select capable people of the highest integrity to serve. Be constantly vocal on all local and national political issues.Tell your representatives in Congress are even the president himself. What do you think is the best course on issues that come before the public. Number seven. Strive constantly for spiritual growth. We as individuals can push the world along toward mankind's highest destiny.If each of us will make the welfare of his fellow man his first concern, and if each of us will apply the principles of God's truth. To our political and economic affairs. And lastly obligation number eight. Dedicate a part of your everyday life to the bringing of these requirements of American citizenship.To the attention of fellow students. Fellow workers. Neighbors and friends. Is it too much to ask that we fulfill these obligations of citizenship? If we think so we should read again the history of the founding of this nation and consider the hardships of the people who made possible our freedom.They felt that no challenge was too great a freedom was at stake. That spirit carried them on. It created for us the foundation of our great heritage We have seen it flare up and burn brightly and every national emergency. On the battlefields and at home. The socialists. The communists and their followers would like to see the American spirit extinguished. If each of us will rise to the occasion. If every citizen young and old will accept the challenge of his citizenship. Then the socialist and communist and their followers will not prevail and America will go on top of the fulfillment of our great world destiny. This concludes the American Adventure series. Our next series of classes in American way of life, will be out soon. For now class dismiss.
[music]
Closing Credits
Narrator:
The American Adventure series as a production of the National Education Program. Searcy Arkansas. Dr George Benson director, Dr Clifton L. Ganus Jr was our instructor.This is a continuing series based on the unique. Political and economic system which has made America great.Watch for the next presentation of the American Adventure.
Film Ends
Files
Citation
National Education Program Workshop et al., “The Responsibilities of American Citizenship (1955),” Post War Teen Tuning, accessed April 27, 2024, https://postwarteentuning.omeka.net/items/show/6.