Skip to main content

Territorialisation to control resources 'threatening' citizenship rights

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak* 
Working people have historically fought against various forms of oppression, including feudalism, capitalism, colonialism, imperialism, and religious fundamentalism, to advance democracy and secure citizenship rights. 
The anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggles in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Arab world significantly contributed to the realisation and expansion of citizenship rights beyond the narrow ideology of the Westphalian framework, while also strengthening democratic systems of governance within Western Europe. 
These movements not only challenged the political and economic dominance of imperial powers but also inspired global solidarity among oppressed people across continents. The successes of these struggles underscored the interconnectedness of global movements for justice and highlighted the importance of collective action in achieving democratic ideals beyond narrow territorial borders. 
Consequently, the influence of these liberation movements extended beyond their regions, prompting reforms and progressive changes in political systems worldwide. This global ripple effect emphasised the universal quest for equality, justice, and democratic governance, reshaping political landscapes and encouraging a more inclusive approach to citizenship and human rights.
However, in recent times, democratic and citizenship rights are under threat from reactionary and anti-democratic forces who wish to continue and revive their hegemony over people to control resources by expanding the project of territorialisation. These forces aim to roll back the progress made by previous generations in securing democratic freedoms and rights. 
By undermining democratic institutions and spreading disinformation, the reactionary ruling classes seek to weaken public trust and erode the foundations of participatory and democratic governance. The resurgence of these authoritarian tendencies poses a significant challenge to the principles of equality, justice, and freedom that underpin democratic societies.
There are consistent attempts to spread the venom of territorial nationalism to weaken the universal approach to citizenship rights. These efforts aim to divide people along narrow sectarian lines, categorizing them as natives or foreigners, Hindus, Christians, Muslims, rich, poor, urban, rural, educated, illiterate, skilled, unskilled, migrants, and various racial and territorial nationalities. 
This strategy seeks to weaken unity and solidarity among the working masses. By fostering these divisions, reactionary forces create an environment of distrust and conflict, undermining collective efforts to achieve social and economic justice.
The division among and between people on territorial grounds weakens the collective and democratic foundations of citizenship rights. Our citizenship rights are interconnected, meaning that the weakening of one person's citizenship rights inherently weakens everyone's citizenship rights. 
When individuals are divided along territorial, racial, religious, or economic lines, the unity and solidarity necessary for a strong, democratic society are undermined. This fragmentation makes it easier for reactionary forces to erode democratic institutions and infringe upon individual freedoms. 
Therefore, it is crucial to recognize and protect the interconnected nature of our rights, ensuring that all citizens, regardless of their background, are afforded the same protections and opportunities beyond territorial lines.
Furthermore, territorialization often aligns with the interests of those in power, who use it as a tool to maintain control over resources and populations. Both the processes of territorialisation and deterritorialisation of citizenship rights are exclusionary and detrimental. Both the processes follow the requirements of capitalism and its various forms. They not only weaken citizenship rights but also dismantle people's abilities to reclaim these rights by fostering divisions along narrow, reactionary lines. 
There are consistent attempts to spread the venom of territorial nationalism to weaken the universal approach to citizenship rights
Territorialisation imposes rigid boundaries that prioritise the rights of certain groups over others, leading to discrimination and inequality. On the other hand, deterritorialisation can create a sense of statelessness and disenfranchisement, leaving many without a clear claim to rights or protections.
These processes spread division by categorising people based on arbitrary distinctions, such as nationality, ethnicity, religion, or socioeconomic status. This fragmentation undermines collective action and solidarity, essential components for defending and advancing citizenship rights.
It is time to reclaim the legacies of various mass movements throughout history to reassert our citizenship rights beyond narrow and reactionary frameworks of the Westphalian ideology. By doing so, we can put an end to so-called nationalist wars that primarily serve to protect the power and interests of corporate capital. 
Historical mass movements have shown that collective action and solidarity can achieve significant advancements in democracy, equality, and justice. These movements have fought against various forms of oppression, from feudalism to imperialism, and their successes offer valuable lessons for today's struggles to reclaim the inalienability and universality of citizenship rights. 
By learning from these historical examples, we can work towards the deepening of global democracy based on the interests of people and the planet 
The triumphs of past movements demonstrate the power of collective action and solidarity in overcoming systemic injustices. These movements have shown that it is possible to challenge and dismantle oppressive structures through unified efforts. 
In the contemporary context, this means advocating for citizenship rights that are inclusive and universal, transcending narrow, reactionary frameworks that divide us. Reclaiming these rights involves resisting the forces that seek to undermine democratic principles and promoting policies that prioritise human well-being over corporate interests. 
By fostering global solidarity and inclusivity, masses can build a democratic system that reflects the interconnectedness of our world and addresses the needs of all people, regardless of their background. 
Ultimately, the lessons from historical mass movements remind us that the fight for citizenship rights and global democracy is ongoing. It requires continuous effort, vigilance, and a commitment to justice and equality for all. By embracing these principles, people can only create a more equitable and sustainable future for generations to come.
---
*London Metropolitan University, UK

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

Plastic burning in homes threatens food, water and air across Global South: Study

By Jag Jivan  In a groundbreaking  study  spanning 26 countries across the Global South , researchers have uncovered the widespread and concerning practice of households burning plastic waste as a fuel for cooking, heating, and other domestic needs. The research, published in Nature Communications , reveals that this hazardous method of managing both waste and energy poverty is driven by systemic failures in municipal services and the unaffordability of clean alternatives, posing severe risks to human health and the environment.
Post a Comment
»

From protest to proof: Why civil society must rethink environmental resistance

By Shankar Sharma*  As concerned environmentalists and informed citizens, many of us share deep unease about the way environmental governance in our country is being managed—or mismanaged. Our complaints range across sectors and regions, and most of them are legitimate. Yet a hard question confronts us: are complaints, by themselves, effective? Experience suggests they are not.
Post a Comment
»

Economic superpower’s social failure? Inequality, malnutrition and crisis of India's democracy

By Vikas Meshram  India may be celebrated as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, but a closer look at who benefits from that growth tells a starkly different story. The recently released World Inequality Report 2026 lays bare a country sharply divided by wealth, privilege and power. According to the report, nearly 65 percent of India’s total wealth is owned by the richest 10 percent of its population, while the bottom half of the country controls barely 6.4 percent. The top one percent—around 14 million people—holds more than 40 percent, the highest concentration since 1961. Meanwhile, the female labour force participation rate is a dismal 15.7 percent.
Post a Comment
»

Kolkata event marks 100 years since first Communist conference in India

By Harsh Thakor*   A public assembly was held in Kolkata on December 24, 2025, to mark the centenary of the First Communist Conference in India , originally convened in Kanpur from December 26 to 28, 1925. The programme was organised by CPI (ML) New Democracy at Subodh Mallik Square on Lenin Sarani. According to the organisers, around 2,000 people attended the assembly.
Post a Comment
»

From colonial mercantilism to Hindutva: New book on the making of power in Gujarat

By Rajiv Shah  Professor Ghanshyam Shah ’s latest book, “ Caste-Class Hegemony and State Power: A Study of Gujarat Politics ”, published by Routledge , is penned by one of Gujarat ’s most respected chroniclers, drawing on decades of fieldwork in the state. It seeks to dissect how caste and class factors overlap to perpetuate the hegemony of upper strata in an ostensibly democratic polity. The book probes the dominance of two main political parties in Gujarat—the Indian National Congress and the BJP—arguing that both have sustained capitalist growth while reinforcing Brahmanic hierarchies.
Post a Comment
»

Urgent need to study cause of large number of natural deaths in Gulf countries

By Venkatesh Nayak* According to data tabled in Parliament in April 2018, there are 87.76 lakh (8.77 million) Indians in six Gulf countries, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While replying to an Unstarred Question (#6091) raised in the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs said, during the first half of this financial year alone (between April-September 2018), blue-collared Indian workers in these countries had remitted USD 33.47 Billion back home. Not much is known about the human cost of such earnings which swell up the country’s forex reserves quietly. My recent RTI intervention and research of proceedings in Parliament has revealed that between 2012 and mid-2018 more than 24,570 Indian Workers died in these Gulf countries. This works out to an average of more than 10 deaths per day. For every US$ 1 Billion they remitted to India during the same period there were at least 117 deaths of Indian Workers in Gulf ...
Post a Comment
»

The greatest threat to our food system: The aggressive push for GM crops

By Bharat Dogra  Thanks to the courageous resistance of several leading scientists who continue to speak the truth despite increasing pressures from the powerful GM crop and GM food lobby , the many-sided and in some contexts irreversible environmental and health impacts of GM foods and crops, as well as the highly disruptive effects of this technology on farmers, are widely known today. 
Post a Comment
»

History, culture and literature of Fatehpur, UP, from where Maulana Hasrat Mohani hailed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly and an extremely important leader of our freedom movement. Born in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, Hasrat Mohani's relationship with nearby district of Fatehpur is interesting and not explored much by biographers and historians. Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri has written a book on Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Fatehpur. The book is in Urdu.  He has just come out with another important book, 'Hindi kee Pratham Rachna: Chandayan' authored by Mulla Daud Dalmai.' During my recent visit to Fatehpur town, I had an opportunity to meet Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri and recorded a conversation with him on issues of history, culture and literature of Fatehpur. Sharing this conversation here with you. Kindly click this link. --- *Human rights defender. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat , X @freetohumanity, Skype @vbrawat
1 comment
»

Transgender Bill testimony of Govt of India's ‘contempt’ for marginalized community

Counterview Desk India’s civil society network, National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM)* has said that the controversial transgender Bill, passed in the Rajya Sabha on November 26, which happened to be the 70th anniversary of the Indian Constitution, is a reflection on the way the Government of India looks at the marginalized community with utter contempt.
Post a Comment
»