Citizenship and the Constitution of Structured Social Inequality1

Both political philosophical and sociological accounts of stress equal rights and obligations. However, can be viewed as a vehicle by means of which the state structures social inequality in both state socialist and capitalist societies. This occurs in three ways: by offering formal equality to those who are materially disprivileged; by the establishment of differential statuses; and by the manipulation of political support. The consequent patterns of unequal citizenship are a contradiction and there is a continuous expansion and modification of practices as the contradiction is manifested. Historically there are three forms of which emerge in response to this contradiction: individualistic citizenship, uninational and binational citizenship.