For, in a democracy, every citizen, regardless of his interest in politics, ‘holds office’ every one of us is in a position of responsibility; and, in the final analysis, the kind of government we get depends upon how we fulfill those responsibilities. We, the people, are the boss, and we will get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve.
Kennedy argues that democratic government depends not only on elected officials but also on the conduct and expectations of citizens. By saying that every citizen ‘holds office’, he treats participation in democracy as a form of public responsibility. Voting, political judgement and engagement with public affairs all contribute to the character of government, even when individuals do not themselves hold formal office.
The quotation also links political leadership to the standards demanded by the electorate. Kennedy suggests that citizens cannot entirely separate themselves from the quality of those who govern them, because democratic leaders emerge from institutions shaped by public choices, pressures and expectations. In Profiles in Courage, this idea reinforces the book’s broader concern with political responsibility and moral judgement. The passage presents democracy as a reciprocal system in which leaders are accountable to the public, while citizens are also responsible for the political culture and standards they help sustain.
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John F. Kennedy
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