CITIZENSHIP
Meaning:
The term ‘Citizenship’ is derived
from the word city.
Literally Citizen means Resident of
a city.
In Political Science. citizen means
resident of a state other than a
foreigner.
Thus, citizenship means the
membership of the state.
Definitions
“He who has the power to take part in the
deliberative or judicial administration is
the citizen of the state”.- Aristotle
There existed restricted citizenship in
ancient Greece.
The modern basis of Citizenship is
allegiance to the state where one lives
and enjoys political rights.
“A citizen is a permanent member of a
state who is engaged with it in a legal
relationship of rights and duties”.-Daniel
Wit
Obligation and Duties
Allegiance
Individual State
Protection
Rights and Privileges
Two way Relationship
In Short,
A citizen is the one who owes
allegiance to the state where he
permanently resides, enjoys
protection and rights granted by
it and makes an intelligent
contribution to the public good.
Citizen and subjects
Both are members of the state but
citizens alone enjoy political
rights, the minors, criminals, etc are
subjects of the State but do not
enjoy any Political Rights.
The term subjects used to mean
the ruled under monarchy.
Citizens and Aliens
Citizens Aliens
1 Permanent Resident. 1 Temporary Resident.
2 Enjoy Political Rights. 2 No Political Rights.
3. Owes allegiance to the 3 Does not owe allegiance to
State. the State of temporary
residence.
4. Cannot be driven out of 4 Asked to leave the country
the State. for illegal activities and
expiration of visa etc.
5. A State need not keep a 5 State must observe their
watch over its citizens. conduct always.
6 Receives protection of the
state till he resides here.
6 A citizen is protected at
home and abroad.
Double Citizenship
Means two phased citizenship.
It prevails in a federal state like USA.
Citizen of the federation and citizen
of the particular unit/state in the
federation.
In USA citizenship of the federation
is primary whereas in Swiss
citizenship of the unit primary.
In India we have single citizenship.
Methods of acquiring Citizenship
There are two kinds of citizenships-
1. Natural Citizenship and
2. Naturalized Citizenship.
Natural citizenship is determined on
the basis of birth or descent.
Naturalized citizenship on the basis
of grant or conferment.
Methods of acquring citizenship
1Marriage: a woman becomes a naturalised
citizen of her husband’s country.
2. Domicile: a fixed period of residence in a
foreign country may entitle a person to become a
naturalised citizen.
3. Job: A person appointed in the service of a
foreign state may be granted the citizenship of
that state.
4. Property: acquiring property in a foreign state
may be granted citizenship of that state.
5. Application: by application also citizenship
may be availed
Methods of loosing citizenship
1. Marriage: a woman marrying a foreigner may
loose her citizenship of the mother state.
2. Absence: long absence from the mother
country may cause loosing one’s citizenship.
3. Foreign job: accepting a job in a foreign
country may cause in loosing one’s citizenship at
home.
4. Property: acquiring property in a foreign
country can cause loss of citizenship at home.
5.Expatriation: by resigning one’s citizenship at
home and accepting the citizenship of another
state.
6. Military desertion, accepting foreign title,
treason against the state, etc.
Importance of citizenship
Its importance in a democratic state are as follows-
1. Political participation.
2. Enjoyment of rights.
3. Provides an identity and a sense of
belongingness to the individual and helps to
promote his interests.
4. Preserves the concept of Nation-state.
5. Promotes the progress of the nation and it
promotes the feeling of nationalism and
patriotism and increases the national power and
progress of the nation.
