Civil rights
Topic: Citizenship: Idea and Indian Law · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 4 "Social Justice"; Class 11, Ch 6 "Citizenship"
Meaning
Civil rights protect a person's life, liberty and property. They include freedom of speech and freedom of belief. T.H. Marshall named them as one of the three parts of citizenship (the other two are political rights and social rights). In India, the matching provisions are Arts. 19-22 of the Constitution, which cover freedoms, protection against arbitrary arrest, and the right to life and personal liberty.
Example
An Indian citizen can criticise the government in a newspaper article without fear of punishment. This is protected by the freedom of speech in Art. 19.
Don't confuse with
- Political rights: these let people take part in government, mainly through the vote (Art. 326). Civil rights protect the person's own freedom and property from interference.
- Civil Rights Movement: the 1950s-60s struggle in the USA against racial segregation. It is a historical movement, not a category of rights.