Virtue

Richard Dagger

In political theory, the word virtue usually refers to the disposition or character traits appropriate to a citizen. Someone who takes the responsibilities of citizenship seriously, to the point of putting the common good ahead of his or her personal interests, is thus said to display civic virtue. Political theorists have frequently warned that such virtue cannot be taken for granted, however, and many of them have urged that steps be taken to promote or foster civic virtue. This concern for the fragility of civic virtue is a clear theme in ancient (or classical) political thought, but it has also played an important part in modern and contemporary political theory. The English word virtue derives from the Latin virtus , but scholars typically trace the concept of virtue to the Greek idea of arete , which may be translated as either “virtue” or “excellence.” To ancient thinkers, virtue was not ...

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