The concept of citizenship is at the core of education for democracy. There is popular sovereignty of the citizens and thereby government by consent of the governed.
Some countries use both bases for ascribing citizenship.
Further, most democratic states have established legal procedures by which people without a birthright to citizenship can become naturalized citizens. Constitutions may make a distinction between the rights of citizens and of inhabitants of the political community who are not citizens. For example, in the United States of America, only citizens have the right to vote, serve on juries, and be elected to certain offices of the government, such as Congress. All other rights in the United States Constitution are guaranteed to everyone residing in the country, citizens and noncitizens alike. The people of a democratic country or nation-state may have various and overlapping identities based on such factors of society as religion, race, ethnicity, social class, and gender.