Citizenship and Social Class

“Citizenship, even in its earliest forms, was a principle of equality, and that during this period, it was a developing institution. Starting at the point where all men were free, and in theory capable of enjoying rights, it grew by enriching the body of rights which they were capable of enjoying.  But these rights did not conflict with the inequalities of capitalist society; they were, on the contrary, necessary to the maintenance of that particular form of inequality”.

We all have the basic civil rights, we are able to enjoy these rights which in no way compete with a capitalist society, for example a poor and a rich citizen share the same rights, they should both be able to exercise their rights and buy a piece of land, even though both can exercise the right to purchase property only one will be able to complete the purchase, the rich citizen.    Having the same rights does not mean we all share the same social status.