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Citizenship, right and obligations

Abstract

Citizenship is the status of relationship between the state and it citizens. Rights and obligations are the key factors central to the question of citizenship. A balance between these two is very important in citizenship.

Table of Contents

Introduction4

Discussion4

What is citizenship?4

What is Rights?4

Political rights5

Social rights5

Role of rights in citizenship5

What is Obligations?6

Payment of taxes6

Participation in the military6

Abiding by law6

Allegiance6

Role of obligations in citizenship6

Conclusion7

References8

Citizenship, Right and Obligations

Introduction

Citizenship is the basic idea that plays a vital role in the advancement of political democracy and the attainment of social and political equality. The idea of citizenship depends on two key factors of rights and obligations or duties of a citizen. The balance between these two factors is very essential in citizenship. The Fourteenth Amendment states that all individuals either born or gain naturalization in the USA, and subject to the jurisdiction, are citizens of the USA and citizen of their state where they live. (Darity, 2008).This statement serves as a source for the acknowledgment of a person's rights (Dworkin, 1977).

Discussion

What is citizenship?

According to Heywood (1994), citizenship is a relationship between a state and a person, and rights and obligations bind them together. A “citizen” is an individual of a political community, who has a framework of rights and obligations. Citizenship is not only an identity; it is a legal status for a person to reside in a state. Therefore, there is a subjective and an objective angle to citizenship. The subjective angle is to provide the sense of sincerity, and loyalty and the objective angle are the rights and obligations that a state provides to its citizens. Heywood (1994) said that the objective angle does not ensure the subsistence of the subjective angle, because even though the members may exercise the legal entitlements, feel like strangers from the state (probably because of racism or social disadvantage, cannot be considered as full citizens.

Citizenship depends on the set of rights and obligations. The citizens have both rights and obligations (Janoski, 1998). They can enjoy their rights; also have obligations such as serving in the military and paying taxes to support the government costs. Sometimes, one acquires the citizenship as an inheritance, but foreigners can also acquire this status. They can acquire naturalization by living in the city for the required time, pay local taxes and abiding by other obligations of a member of the city.

What is Rights?

The rights of a person by virtue of citizenship mean the fundamental and basic privileges and freedoms provided by the Constitution. The process of development of member's rights is dynamic. T. H. Marshall forwarded that there are three types of rights: social, civil, and political. These rights are categorized on a historical and systematic basis. It includes the right of freedom of religion, right of freedom of speech, inhabitation and profession, Right to equality, right against exploitation like forced labor, right to prosperity, right to educational and cultural freedom, and right to constitutional alteration. It ensures equal employment opportunities, without discrimination of sex, religion, or ...