A citizen is a person who has the rights, duties and responsibilities associated with membership of a nation or political community. Citizenship is usually acquired through birth or the nationality of one or both parents, but can also be granted by naturalization. In most places, full political rights such as voting or holding office are only available to citizens, while a citizen’s duty to obey the law and pay taxes is a basic requirement. Citizenship carries with it privileges and immunities that are denied or only partially extended to aliens (those who are not citizens).
Law shapes politics, economics and history in many ways, and laws may have different purposes: they can keep the peace, maintain the status quo, protect minorities against majorities, or promote social change. The extent to which a legal system meets these needs is reflected in the laws themselves, and in the way that the law is created and enforced.
Different nations, states and commonwealths have their own rules about who qualifies to be a citizen. Teachers can use these resources to help students understand citizenship and the differing rights and responsibilities that come with it.
The terms citizen, subject and national have a long history, but the term citizen is now preferred because it suggests that a person shares in the government’s sovereign power as well as its protection, while the word subject suggests subordination to a personal sovereign such as a monarch. The concept of citizenship crystallized in the 18th century, when a constitutional monarchy gave way to the modern republic.
A person’s citizenship is important because it determines the legal consequences of their actions. For example, a person who commits a crime that has serious consequences in another country could be extradited, or they might face civil lawsuits for damages caused by their wrongdoing. A person’s citizenship also affects what kinds of laws are made, and who makes those laws.
Some of the responsibilities of citizenship include paying taxes, obeying the law and serving in the military. The duties and responsibilities of a citizen vary from nation to nation, but most have some degree of overlap.
The laws that citizens must follow are shaped by the cultural values, customs and practices of their society. These are sometimes called the “rules of the game.” Some of these rules are written down in a legal code or constitution. Others are based on traditions and practice, or on the ideas of influential thinkers like Max Weber. For example, a citizen’s right to a fair trial and the principles of evidence are rooted in the practices of the legal profession. A citizen’s relationship with their government is also influenced by the community or partnerships that form its political basis, known as civil society. Nongovernment organizations, which are often rooted in a particular community, are an important part of this partnership. A person’s civil society is affected by their family, work and religious ties as well as the political parties to which they belong.