Chapter – 6

Citizenship

In this post we have given the detailed notes of Class 11 Political Science Book 1 Chapter 6 (Citizenship) in English. These notes are useful for the students who are going to appear in Class 11 board exams.

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Chapter 6: Citizenship

Introduction

• Citizenship means being a full and equal member of a political community, like a country.  
• States give their citizens a political identity (like being Indian or Japanese) and rights.  
• Citizens can expect rights from their state and help and protection when they travel.  
• People without a state, like refugees, may struggle to get rights and protection.  
• Citizenship rights can be different in each country, but usually include:
  • Political rights (like voting)
  • Civil rights (like freedom of speech)
  • Socio-economic rights (like minimum wage or right to education 
• Equality of rights and status is one of the basic rights of citizenship.  

Full and Equal Membership

• Citizenship is not just about the relationship between the state and its citizens, but also about the relationship between citizens.  
• It involves obligations of citizens to each other and to society, including legal obligations and moral obligations to participate in and contribute to the community.  
• Sometimes people in a place try to keep “outsiders” from coming in, even if they are fellow citizens. 
• This happens if there is competition for jobs, resources, or facilities.  
• The right to freedom of movement within one’s country is an important right.  
• People may move to find work, but this can cause tension with local populations.  
• There can be different attitudes towards poor migrants and skilled migrants.  
• These issues raise questions about what “full and equal membership” really means.  
• In a democracy, disputes about these issues should be settled through discussion and negotiation, not force.  

Equal Rights

• The urban poor in India often live in slums with difficult conditions.  
• Despite their contributions to the economy, they may be seen as a problem.  
• The sociologist T.H. Marshall talked about three kinds of citizenship rights:
  • Civil
  • Political
  • Social
• Marshall believed that citizenship should promote equality and overcome the inequalities created by social class.  
• There is growing awareness about the rights of the urban poor, and they are starting to organize to demand their rights.  
• Other marginalized groups, like tribal people and forest dwellers, also face challenges to their way of life.  
• Providing equal rights for all citizens is complex, as different groups have different needs.  

Citizen and Nation

• The idea of a nation-state is a modern one, where a state’s boundaries define not just territory but also a shared culture and history.  
• Most modern states include people of different backgrounds, and a democratic state should try to be inclusive of all its citizens in its national identity.  
• However, in practice, many countries define their national identity in ways that favor certain groups over others.  
• France, for example, expects all citizens to assimilate into its national culture, which can be difficult for people from different backgrounds.  
• Different countries have different criteria for granting citizenship.  
• India has a diverse population and has tried to create an inclusive national identity through its Constitution.  
• However, even in India, there are ongoing struggles for full citizenship rights by various groups.  

Universal Citizenship

• Many people migrate due to various reasons, and if no state accepts them, they become stateless people or refugees.  
• Deciding how many people to accept as citizens is a difficult issue for many states.  
• The lack of alternative identities for stateless people and the redefinition of state borders due to conflicts further complicate the issue.  

Global Citizenship

• We live in an interconnected world where communication technology allows us to instantly know about events happening in different parts of the world.  
• Supporters of global citizenship believe in strengthening these global connections and working towards a concept of global citizenship.  
• While national citizenship remains important, global citizenship emphasizes the need for cooperation and understanding across national boundaries.  

Examples and Case Studies:

• South Africa: The struggle against apartheid highlights the fight for equal citizenship rights for black South Africans.  
• Martin Luther King Jr.: The Civil Rights Movement in the USA led by Martin Luther King Jr. advocated for equal rights for African Americans.  
• Mumbai for Mumbaikars: This slogan reflects the tension between local residents and migrants in accessing limited resources and opportunities.  
• Urban Poor in India: The challenges faced by slum dwellers in accessing basic rights and services illustrate the issue of equal rights for all citizens.  
• Tribal People and Forest Dwellers: The conflict between development and the rights of indigenous communities to their traditional lands and resources.  
• France: The debate over religious symbols in public schools highlights the challenges of defining national identity and accommodating diversity.  
• Germany: The demand by Turkish workers for citizenship rights for their children born in Germany raises questions about citizenship criteria.  
• India: The Constitution’s attempt to create an inclusive and secular state, despite the challenges of accommodating a diverse population.  
• Stateless People: The plight of refugees and illegal migrants who lack the protection and rights of any state.  
• Global Citizenship: The response to the Asian tsunami and other disasters shows the potential for global cooperation and solidarity.  

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