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Citizenship for Sale

Neomedieval, not Just Neoliberal?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 April 2016

Ana Tanasoca
Ana Tanasoca*
Affiliation:
University of Canberra [Ana.Tanasoca@canberra.edu.au].
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Abstract

Opponents of commodification say that some things should not be for sale. Is citizenship one of them? Citizenship-by-investment schemes of naturalization allow investors virtually to “buy” citizenship. Revisiting objections to the older practice of selling another civic status—noble status—underscores many reasons why this trade may be regarded as problematic. The practice of selling citizenship is not only similar to that of selling honours but might also be thought wrong in analogous ways.

Résumé

Les opposants à la marchandisation affirment que certaines choses ne devraient pas pouvoir être vendues. La citoyenneté est-elle l’une de ces choses ? Certains mécanismes de naturalisation par acquisition de « citoyenneté par investissement » permettent virtuellement aux investisseurs d’acheter leur citoyenneté. Un retour sur les objections formulées à l’encontre d’une pratique plus ancienne de vente d’un autre statut civique – la noblesse – souligne les nombreuses raisons pour lesquelles ce commerce peut être considéré comme problématique. La pratique de vente de citoyenneté n’est pas seulement similaire à celle de la vente d’honneurs, elle peut être considérée comme mauvaise pour des raisons analogues.

Zusammenfassung

Vermarktungsgegner behaupten, dass gewisse Dinge nicht verkauft werden dürften. Gehört die Staatsangehörigkeit dazu? Einbürgerungsmechanismen basierend auf dem Erwerb der Staatsangehörigkeit durch Investitionen erlauben Investoren virtuell ihre Staatsbürgerschaft zu erwerben. Einwände, dass früher ein ziviler Status wie der eines Adelstitels käuflich erworben werden konnte, verdeutlichen, weshalb dieses Geschäft als problematisch angesehen werden muss. Die Praxis des Staatsangehörigkeitsverkaufs ist nicht nur mit der von Ehrentiteln vergleichbar, sondern sie muss auch aus analogen Gründen als schlecht betrachtet werden.

Keywords

Investor citizenshipThe sale of honoursSelling citizenshipCommodificationCitoyenneté par investissementVente d’honneursVente de citoyennetéMarchandisationInvestor StaatsbürgerschaftDer Verkauf von EhrungenVerkauf von StaatsbürgerschaftKommodifizierung
Type
Varia
Information
European Journal of Sociology / Archives Européennes de Sociologie , Volume 57 , Issue 1 , April 2016 , pp. 169 - 195
Copyright
Copyright © A.E.S. 2016 

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References

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