Citizenship is defined as full and equal membership of a political community. In the contemporary world, states provide a collective political identity to their members along with certain rights. Citizens expect these rights from their state as well as help and protection wherever they travel.

The precise nature of rights may vary, but in most democratic countries, citizens enjoy specific categories of rights. These include political rights like the right to vote, civil rights such as freedom of speech and belief, and socio-economic rights which could include the right to a minimum wage or the right to education. Furthermore, equality of rights and status is considered a basic right of citizenship.

Citizenship involves more than just the relationship between the state and its members; it is also about citizen-citizen relations. This relationship involves certain obligations of citizens to each other and to society. These obligations are not just limited to the legal obligations imposed by states.

Citizens have a moral obligation to participate in and contribute to the shared life of the community. Additionally, citizens are considered to be the inheritors and trustees of the culture and natural resources of the country. This implies a responsibility towards preserving these assets for future generations.