Citizenship in the 21st Century

As we look at the questions confronting governments today, we see certain problems arising all over the world. One of them, certainly, is the definition of citizenship. People are expected to be citizens of one country their entire lives. This makes sense because loyalty to one's country is a virtue that is valued everywhere. The people of any country expect and demand patriotism of all of its citizens. To die for their country, if necessary.

But, with the increasing interaction of people throughout the real and the cyberworld, can we always rely upon this? I know several people with dual and even multiple citizenships. They can own property and even vote in more than one country. A child born in the United States is automatically a citizen, even if its parents are not. We also have doctrines of comparative law which decide which country's laws apply in divorces, business contracts, inheritance and many other matters.

As people enter into more of these extra-national relationships, I expect the principles of comparative law will become more complicated. The definition of citizenship can be expected to change, as well.