A short summary of this chapter for last-minute revision: definitions, dates and examples, a comparison table, and a final recap. The full notes are available separately.
1 Citizenship : definition and kinds of rights
| Kind of right | What it gives, per Marshall |
|---|---|
| Civil rights | protect life, liberty and property |
| Political rights | power to take part in governance |
| Social rights | access to education and employment |
2 Important dates and examples, worth memorising
3 T.H. Marshall and the Olga Tellis case
British sociologist T.H. Marshall (1893-1981), in his book Citizenship and Social Class (1950), called citizenship “a status bestowed on those who are full members of a community.” In the Olga Tellis case (1985), the Supreme Court held that the right to life under Article 21 includes the right to livelihood, so pavement dwellers cannot be evicted without first being offered alternative accommodation.
3.1 National vs global citizenship
National citizenship
- full and equal membership granted by a state
- acquired by birth, descent, registration, naturalisation, or inclusion of territory
- gives concrete rights and protection
Global citizenship
- a sense of interconnectedness across national borders
- a world community and global society does not yet exist
- supplements national citizenship, does not replace it
4 Five paths to Indian citizenship
By birth, by descent, by registration, by naturalisation, and by inclusion of territory. Part Two of the Constitution lays down citizenship provisions; the state cannot discriminate on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
- Citizenship = full and equal membership; today’s rights were won through struggle (French Revolution 1789, South Africa’s struggle)
- Marshall’s three rights: civil, political, social
- Olga Tellis case (1985): Article 21, the right to livelihood
- Five paths to Indian citizenship: birth, descent, registration, naturalisation, inclusion of territory
- Refugees/stateless people: India gave refuge to the Dalai Lama in 1959
- Global citizenship supplements national citizenship, it does not replace it