Chap 1: What does it mean to be a citizen?JKL (2016)

Table of Contents

● Citizenship - What is it? Why is it important?● Attainment of Citizenship - How?● Rights and Responsibilities of a citizen

So what exactly is citizenship?

Going back to where it all started...“A polis or a state belongs to the order of ‘compounds’, in the same way as all other things which form a single ‘whole’, but a ‘whole’ composed, none the less, of a number of different parts. This being the case, it clearly follows that we must inquire into the nature of the citizen (i.e. the parts) before inquiring into the nature of the state (i.e. the whole composed of such parts). In other words, a state is a compound made up of citizens; and this compels us to consider who should properly be called a citizen and what a citizen really is.”

Aristotle, The Politics, originally written ca. 335 BC, cited in Blaug, R. & Schwarzmantel, J. , 2000, 208.

Aristotle

Going back to where it all started...“A polis or a state belongs to the order of ‘compounds’, in the same way as all other things which form a single ‘whole’, but a ‘whole’ composed, none the less, of a number of different parts. This being the case, it clearly follows that we must inquire into the nature of the citizen (i.e. the parts) before inquiring into the nature of the state (i.e. the whole composed of such parts). In other words, a state is a compound made up of citizens; and this compels us to consider who should properly be called a citizen and what a citizen really is.”

Aristotle, The Politics, originally written ca. 335 BC, cited in Blaug, R. & Schwarzmantel, J. , 2000, 208.

Quick Buzz

1. What makes me a Singaporean?2. How will these set me apart from the other

countries’ citizens?

Citizens are people who belong to a country. The attributes that shape citizenship are “a sense of belonging

to the country” and “participating in meaningful causes to complement the government”.

Attainment of citizenship - HOW?

Shaping Citizenship...Shaped by Legal Status (Granted)

descent

country of birth

marriage

naturalisation

Shaped by Identity and Participation

national identity

shared practices and beliefs

democracy

DefinitionIt generally means rule by the people. In a democracy, people choose their representatives in government and these representatives, in turn, are given the authority to make decisions on behalf of citizens.

This would mean that government is answerable and accountable to the people.

constitution

Retrieved from:http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/aol/search/display/view.w3p;ident=aa74f082-6a82-4885-a5e4-6cfe5894da40;page=0;query=DocId%3A%22cf2412ff-fca5-4a64-a8ef-b95b8987728e%22%20Status%3Ainforce%20Depth%3A0;rec=0#pr9-he-.

Functions of the Constitution of Singapore

1. Source of government’s power (executive, judiciary, legislature)

2. Limits the government’s power (power separation; setting limits)

3. Guards individuals’ basic rights

4. Protects minority rights

Exercising of rights RESPONSIBLY

Case: Amos Yee & Amy Cheong

Think Pair Share: What do you think are some of the things Amos Yee did not consider when he made the comments on late Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew and the Christian community?

So what do you think are our responsibilities as citizens of Singapore?

citizenship by shared identity and

participation

Table of Contents

● Citizenship - What is it? Why is it important?● Attainment of Citizenship - How?● Rights and Responsibilities of a citizen