Citizenship Class 11 Political Science

Introduction

Full and equal membership in a political community defines citizenship.

• States nowadays offer collective political identity and rights to their members, such as being Indian, Japanese, or German, depending on the state.
• Citizens expect rights and protection from their state, even when traveling.
• In democratic countries, political, civil, and socio-economic rights are typically included, such as the right to vote, freedom of speech, a minimum wage, or education.

• Equality of rights and status is a fundamental aspect of citizenship.
• Citizens have had to struggle to secure their rights over time.
• European countries, for instance, underwent struggles, some of which were violent, like the French Revolution in 1789.
• In Asia and Africa, demands for equal citizenship were part of the fight for independence from colonial rulers.
• In South Africa, black Africans waged a prolonged struggle against the ruling white minority for equal citizenship until the early 1990s.
• However, citizenship extends beyond the relationship between states and their members to include citizen-citizen relations and citizens' obligations to one another and society.

Full and Equal Membership

• Consider this example: In crowded railway compartments or buses, people who initially competed to get in may later unite to exclude others once inside.
• A division develops between ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’, with outsiders often seen as a threat.
• This process occurs in cities, regions, or nations, especially when resources like jobs, medical care, or education are limited.
• Examples include slogans like ‘Mumbai for Mumbaikars’, which reflect sentiments and restrictions against outsiders.
• Raises questions about whether full and equal membership means equal rights and opportunities across the country and whether all citizens, rich or poor, should have access to basic rights and facilities.
• Freedom of movement is crucial for workers migrating for job opportunities.

• Workers often move to different regions or countries in search of employment, such as IT professionals to Bangalore or nurses from Kerala working across India.
• Local resistance may arise against outsiders, sometimes escalating to organized violence.
• Raises questions about whether such resistance is justified and whether the right to freedom of movement includes the right to live or work anywhere in the country.
• There may be a difference in how we respond to poor migrants compared to skilled and affluent workers.
• Poor migrants might not receive the same level of welcome as skilled workers, leading to debates on whether they should have equal rights to live and work anywhere.
• The Constitution guarantees the right to protest, provided it does not harm others or property.
• Citizens can influence policy through forming groups, demonstrations, media, political appeals, or the courts.
• Disputes should be resolved through negotiation and discussion, adhering to the principle of full and equal membership.
• The principle of resolving issues through peaceful means rather than force is a fundamental obligation of citizenship.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement

Equal Rights

Slum Dwellers:

• In every Indian city, there is a significant population of slum dwellers and squatters who often do essential work for low wages but are viewed unfavorably by the rest of the town population.
• Living in a slum exposes residents to insecurity of life and property, but their labour contributes significantly to the economy.
• Awareness about the urban poor's condition is increasing among governments, NGOs, and slum dwellers themselves, who are also becoming aware of their rights and organizing to demand them.
• Supreme Court Decision (1985): In response to a Public Interest Litigation by Olga Tellis against the Bombay Municipal Corporation, the Court addressed the rights of slum-dwellers in Bombay.
• Petition Claim: Argued that slum-dwellers had the right to live on pavements or in slums due to lack of alternative accommodation near their workplaces, and eviction would result in loss of livelihood.
• Ruling: The Supreme Court ruled that Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life, includes the right to livelihood. Thus, pavement dwellers must be provided alternative accommodation before eviction under the right to shelter.

Tribal People:

• The tribal people and forest dwellers are another marginalized group in our society who rely on natural resources to maintain their way of life.
• The commercial interests seeking to mine the resources found in forests or coasts, as well as the tourism industry, are endangering their livelihoods.
• Governments face the challenge of protecting these communities and their habitat without impeding the country's development.

Citizenship, Equality and Rights

Complex Equal Rights:

• Providing equal rights and opportunities to all citizens is a challenging task for any government since different groups may have varying needs, and their rights may conflict.
• Citizenship's formal laws are only a starting point, and their interpretation is continually evolving.
• The concept of equal citizenship requires that government policies prioritize providing equal rights and protection to all citizens, with consideration for their diverse needs rather than applying uniform policies.

Citizen and Nation

• The idea of the nation-state emerged during the modern era.
• Nation-states assert that their borders define not only a geographical area but also a distinctive culture and shared history.
• The national identity may be expressed through symbols like a flag, national anthem, national language, or specific cultural practices, among other things.
• While most contemporary states comprise people of diverse religions, languages, and cultural traditions, a democratic state's national identity should provide citizens with a political identity that can be shared by all members.
• Democratic states generally aim to define their identity as inclusive as possible, allowing all citizens to identify as part of the nation. However, in practice, most countries tend to define their identity in a way that makes it easier for some citizens to identify with the state than others.
• Example: France claims to be both secular and inclusive, including citizens who originally came from other areas such as North Africa. Culture and language are essential aspects of its national identity, and citizens are expected to merge into it in the public sphere of their lives while retaining their personal beliefs and practices in private.

• While religious belief is supposed to belong to the private sphere of citizens, sometimes religious symbols and practices may enter their public lives.
• The criteria for granting citizenship vary from country to country. Some countries, such as Israel or Germany, may prioritize factors like religion or ethnic origin when granting citizenship.

Naturalization is the legal process by which a non-citizen acquires citizenship in a country. It usually requires meeting criteria like residency, knowledge of the country's language and history, and good moral character.

Citizenship in India

• India defines itself as a secular, democratic nation-state. During the independence movement, attempts were made to bind together people of various religions, regions, and cultures.

• The Indian Constitution aimed to accommodate the country's diversity by granting equal citizenship to varied groups, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women, and remote communities.

• The Republic Day parade in Delhi symbolizes the state's attempt to include people of different regions, cultures, and religions.

• It ensured equal rights while respecting different languages, religions, and cultural practices without forcing people to abandon their beliefs.

• Citizenship provisions are detailed in Part Two of the Constitution and related laws, promoting a democratic and inclusive approach. Citizenship can be acquired by birth, descent, registration, naturalisation, or territorial inclusion.

• The Constitution protects against discrimination based on religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth and safeguards the rights of religious and linguistic minorities.

• Despite inclusivity, challenges remain, as seen in the women’s movement, dalit movement, and other struggles by those who feel excluded. Democratic citizenship is an evolving project that adapts to new societal demands and marginalized voices.

Universal Citizenship

• Universal and inclusive citizenship is supported, but each state sets its own criteria.
• Criteria for granting citizenship are usually included in the country's constitution and laws.
• States exercise power to prevent unwanted visitors from entering.
• Various factors, such as wars, persecution, and famine, may cause displacement.
• If people cannot return home and no state accepts them, they become stateless or refugees.
• Stateless individuals may be forced to live in camps or as illegal migrants.
• The problem of statelessness is significant, prompting the United Nations to appoint a High Commissioner for Refugees.
• Many countries have policies for accepting refugees fleeing from persecution or war.
• However, countries may hesitate to accept an unmanageable number of people or face security risks.
• India has provided refuge to persecuted peoples, like the Dalai Lama and his followers in 1959.
• The issue of statelessness remains a major challenge facing the world today.

Global Citizenship

• The modern world is highly interconnected due to the advent of new communication technologies such as the internet, television, and cell phones.
• These technologies have greatly impacted our way of life.
• With the help of these new modes of communication, we can stay informed of developments happening across the world in real-time.
• Proponents of global citizenship argue that despite the absence of a global community, people feel connected beyond national boundaries.
• The global response to natural disasters, like the Asian tsunami, is seen as a sign of this emerging global society.
• Global citizenship can help us tackle issues that transcend national boundaries and require collective action.
• The idea of global citizenship reminds us that national citizenship must be complemented with an understanding of our interconnected world.
• We need to strengthen our ties with people from different parts of the globe and be willing to collaborate with them and their governments.
• This collaboration should occur irrespective of national borders.

Conclusion

Citizenship is a dynamic relationship that goes beyond legal status, involving both individual rights and collective responsibilities. As we face modern challenges, from local disputes to global issues, our commitment to equality and inclusion will shape the future of citizenship.