Citizenship is a status granted by the state that gives people rights and responsibilities within a political community. It is based on a body of rules created by the state which are enforced by mechanisms set up to ensure that people respect each other and laws are not broken. Citizenship allows people to participate in society, vote, own property and have access to public services and education. It also allows them to access employment and social security benefits. Citizenship can be revoked by a government for certain serious crimes such as voting in a foreign election or serving in a military that is not the country’s. It is also possible for citizens to lose their citizenship if they attempt to overthrow the government by force.
The right to a nationality is generally a fundamental human right recognized by all countries that are parties to international treaties and conventions. However, these treaties do not limit state sovereignty in regulating citizenship, and they may not apply to all people. For example, the law may be interpreted to exclude a minority group such as Roma communities in Europe or the children of parents who are immigrants to the United States from gaining full citizenship. These groups are often denied the rights to health care and other welfare benefits enjoyed by others in society.
There are four different ways for a person to become a citizen of a particular country, including being born in that country, having one or both parents be citizens, going through a process called naturalization, or marrying into a family of citizens. Each country has its own laws on these issues, which vary widely. Noncitizens typically have fewer rights than citizens, and they usually do not have the right to vote or serve in government. In some countries, they must pay taxes and obey the law. Citizenship can be taken away by a government for certain serious crimes, such as voting in a foreign election or joining the military of a foreign country.
Citizenship in a country is usually considered to be a fundamental element of a democracy, which requires that citizens are given the opportunity and space to engage in political activity. In her 1969 article “A Ladder of Citizen Participation,” Sherry Arnstein identified eight levels of participation, ranging from manipulation and therapy at the bottom to partnership and delegated power at the top. The latter is the highest form of citizen participation and includes a genuine opportunity for citizens to control their own destiny.
A nation’s laws are meant to serve a variety of purposes, including keeping the peace and maintaining the status quo, preserving individual rights, protecting minorities against majorities, promoting social justice and providing for orderly social change. Some legal systems fulfill these purposes more effectively than others, however. In a democratic system, the law should be open to all citizens and accessible without charge. It should also be stable and consistent, and it should contain core human, procedural and property rights.