Which of the following is a public value?

• A. Common loyalty
• B. Leadership
• C. Service
• D. Excellence

Answer: (A)

Public values are shared ideals that guide how government serves people and maintains trust. Common loyalty stands out because it means allegiance to the community and the public interest—putting citizens' welfare above personal or narrow group gains. This allegiance helps legitimize government actions and fosters social cohesion, since people trust that decisions are made for the common good, not for individual advantage.

Leadership, service, and excellence are important attributes and goals, but they describe actions or outcomes rather than the binding ideal that unites public institutions with citizens. Leadership is about guiding others, service is the work performed for the public, and excellence is about striving for high standards. None of these alone functions as the overarching public value in the same way that common loyalty does.