The Unknown Citizen

The Unknown Citizen by Wystan Hugh Auden 

( To JS/07 M 378

This Marble Monument

Is Erected by the State ) 

He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be

One against whom there was no official complaint,

And all the reports on his conduct agree

That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a saint,

For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.

Except for the War till the day he retired

He worked in a factory and never got fired,

But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.

Yet he wasn't a scab or odd in his views,

For his Union reports that he paid his dues,

(Our report on his Union shows it was sound)

And our Social Psychology workers found

That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.

The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day

And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.

Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,

And his Health-card shows he was once in hospital but left it cured.

Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare

He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Instalment Plan

And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,

A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.

Our researchers into Public Opinion are content

That he held the proper opinions for the time of year;

When there was peace, he was for peace: when there was war, he went.

He was married and added five children to the population,

Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation.

And our teachers report that he never interfered with their education.

Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:

Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.

Summary of The Unknown Citizen

This marble monument has been created by the State to commemorate JS/07 M378.

According to the Bureau of Statistics, nobody ever made a formal complaint about him. The other reports about his behavior all say that he was basically the perfect citizen, because he did everything he was supposed to do in order to serve his society. He worked the same job his entire life until he retired, apart from a break when he served in the War. His employer, Fudge Motors Inc., was fine with him. He had a totally normal outlook on life and politics, and he contributed to his Union (which, we've checked, was not a threat). Our Psychology institution also established that his friends liked hanging out with him. According to the Official Media, he bought a paper regularly and responded to adverts as was to be expected. He had the proper insurance, and our official health records show he only needed to stay in the hospital one time. The departments in charge of organizing society agree that he approved of the State's vision and that he had all the possessions that a modern individual needs—like a record player, radio, car, and fridge. Our Public Opinion department asserts that he always held the right view on the big issues: if it was a peaceful time, he approved, but he also went to war when we needed him to. He had a wife and five children, contributing the correct number of new human beings to society according to our governmental official who aims to optimize the gene pool. He let the children's teachers do their work without questioning their teachings. It's ridiculous to ask if he was free or happy, because we would have known if there was anything wrong with him.