With regard to three normative ideals of democratic citizenship (civism, plebeianism, and pluralism) the connection between civism and plebeianism, which involves the distinction between excellence of participation and right to participate in the political community, is examined. It is argued that the expansion of the political community due to the requirements of plebeianism puts the State (as distinguished from the government) in the position of representative of the political community, which on its turn becomes able to act as the founding, instituting part of the political order.