“We, the people…”
By: Æ, Ed Alvarado
Tags: Europe, Volt Europa, Rights, Citizenship, Humanity

“We, the people…”

Some variation of this phrase is written into the very beginning of several founding documents. It is in the Preambles of the US Constitution, the UN Charter, and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, thus highlighting both the international character and the very European nature of this statement. Yet at the very core of this statement lies the question of citizenship. Who is “we”? How are we “a people”? What makes someone a citizen?

The Most Important Right of All

Without sounding controversial or hierarchical, there is arguably one right that matters above all others. It is not the right to vote, nor is it freedom of speech or freedom of movement.

It is much deeper than that.

In ‘The Decline of the Nation-State and the End of the Rights of Man’, Hannah Arendt elaborates on the now-famous quip that nationality is “the right to have rights”. Since most of us are born with a particular nationality, and therefore a particular set of rights, the right to citizenship is perhaps the one right that is rarely questioned and therefore remains often overlooked. What does it take to become a member of a political community?

Arguably, it is only some migrants who ever learn how difficult it is to “switch” your nationality. Switching nationalities can be seen as an act of “political allegiance” but more often than not it is a matter of legal equality. People switch their nationality in order to acquire the same rights that others are inherently born with. On the one hand it is understandable that migrating into a community should require a “citizenship test” that proves that someone understands the local language, customs and traditions. On the other hand, is it right to assume that a person understands and values all these things simply because they were born in a particular territory or their parents were part of that community?

We are a long way away from such discussions and potential debates. The key point being made here is that “the right to have rights” (the right to citizenship) is perhaps the most important right of all. It is much deeper than freedom of thought, religion, or movement because it lies at the very core of our identity. It is the right to belong.

Why Citizenship?

Citizenship is a concept that can be understood in various ways that depend on academic discipline. Among several interpretations, it can be, as mentioned above, a legal understanding of rights and duties. It can be a political answer to “which national tribe do you identify with and pledge allegiance to?” (often associated with a passport). And it can be a socio-psychological concept describing “active vs passive citizenship” or “good vs bad citizens”. Again, this list does not cover all the definitions and interpretations for the term “citizenship”, yet it is imperative that we understand what it means to be a citizen within a community before we can define ourselves as “we, the people”.

To put it simply: how does “you + me” become “we” and how do we organize ourselves into peaceful and prosperous communities through that bond?

Many will be quick to recognize E puribus unum (“Out of many, one”) as a traditional motto of the United States of America, or In varietate concordia (“United in Diversity”) as the motto of the European Union. Yet how are the citizens united as one citizenry? Is it by blood, by land, or by choice? What’s the role of language, religion and history in defining citizenship? To provide a definitive answer to any of these questions would be to seriously underestimate the complexities and nuances of “citizenship”.

“Ok, so if you’re not providing answers, what’s the goal here, then?”

Volt’s Citizenship Series

As the Pan-European political movement that established a united party all across the EU, we simply want to talk about us, the people of Europe. What is the legal history of our shared EU Citizenship? How does it relate to the concept of “nationality”? What’s the best way to become an active EU citizen while remaining proud of your national heritage? Who were other pan-Europeans in history before the EU was founded?

Again, all of the questions that will be explored in this series are not about finding binary, black-or-white answers, but rather about coming together as an EU Citizenry. That’s how we can tackle common problems, by acting as one united community of diverse individuals.

Robert Schuman (one of the founding fathers of the EU) once said “Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity”. This solidarity has been building steadily, and perhaps one of the greatest achievements of the EU was the establishment of a common EU citizenship that protects all Europeans, regardless of nationality. It guarantees their right to have certain rights established in the founding treaties. So to conclude this article, it is worth putting Arendt’s quote about nationality into context:

“[T]he right to have rights, or the right of every individual to belong to humanity, should be guaranteed by humanity itself.” — Hannah Arendt

To guarantee the right of every human being to belong to humanity, we must first believe in the EU despite its imperfections and protect its international citizenship.

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