The Marxist view of citizenship is rooted in a critique of liberal democracy, where it sees citizenship not as a universal and neutral concept but as a social and political construct shaped by class relations and economic power. Marxist theory focuses on how citizenship, as defined within capitalist societies, reflects the interests of the ruling capitalist class and serves to maintain the status quo of inequality and exploitation. Marxists argue that the rights and privileges associated with citizenship are not equally accessible to all individuals but are often skewed in favor of the bourgeoisie, the capitalist class that controls the means of production.

In Marxist theory, the concept of citizenship is intertwined with the economic base of society. The capitalist state, in Marx’s view, is not a neutral body that merely administers justice and protects individual rights, but rather an institution that serves the interests of the ruling class. This view is informed by Marx’s historical materialism, which argues that the economic structure of society shapes the political superstructure. The state, in this framework, is seen as an instrument for managing class conflict and preserving capitalist economic relations. Therefore,