| Revision as of 16:24, 12 November 2003 view source217.158.203.96 (talk) updating lists← Previous edit | Revision as of 16:49, 12 November 2003 view source 217.158.203.96 (talk) to be made compulsoryNext edit → | ||
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| Compulsory identity cards were first issued in the United Kingdom during World War II, and abandoned soon afterwards due to widespread public resentment. | Compulsory identity cards were first issued in the United Kingdom during World War II, and abandoned soon afterwards due to widespread public resentment. | ||
| Nevertheless, in ] the Home Secretary ] has recently stated that the British government intends to |
Nevertheless, in ] the Home Secretary ] has recently stated that the British government intends to introduce a national identity card scheme based on ] technology, to be made compulsory by 2013. This has met with significant opposition, as this followed a public consultation where the overwhelming majority of those replying had stated that they did not want the government to issue identity cards. | ||
| Countries with ''compulsory'' identity cards: | Countries with ''compulsory'' identity cards: | ||
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| == External links == | == External links == | ||
| * BBC | * BBC | ||
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Revision as of 16:49, 12 November 2003
An identity card is a piece of documentation designed to prove the identity of the person carrying it. Unlike other forms of documentation, which only have a single purpose such as authorizing bank transactions, or proving membership of a library, an identity card simply asserts the bearer's identity.
Where the identity card is issued by the State, it asserts a unique single civil identity for a person, thus defining that person's identity purely in relation to the State. Recent technologies allow identity cards to contain biometric information, such as face, hand or iris measurements, or fingerprints.
State-issued identity cards are a source of great controversy. Some people regard them as a gross infringement of privacy and civil liberties, whilst others regard them as uncontroversial.
Opponents of identity cards point out that totalitarian governments issue identity cards to their populations, and that they have been used oppressively by many governments. They point out that the issuing of unique biometric identities was taken to its logical conclusion within living memory by the Nazis, when they tattooed unique KZ- numbers on the arms of people taken to be processed by the Final Solution. (see ka-tzetnik).
Proponents of identity cards regard these criticisms as paranoid, and regard identity cards to be a useful administrative tool that will increase government efficiency and cut down on crime. They use an argument which is often deployed against privacy advocates: "if you are against it, then you must have something to hide".
Some opponents have characterised vocal proponents of identity cards as social conservatives who wish to control the population tightly. They point out that extensive lobbying for identity cards has been undertaken in countries without compulsory identity cards by IT companies who will be likely to reap rich rewards in the event of an identity card scheme being implemented.
Economic liberals generally regard identity cards as a bad thing, on the principle that if society already works adequately without them, they should not be imposed by government, on the principle that "the government that governs best, governs least".
Identity cards in Britain
Compulsory identity cards were first issued in the United Kingdom during World War II, and abandoned soon afterwards due to widespread public resentment.
Nevertheless, in 2003 the Home Secretary David Blunkett has recently stated that the British government intends to introduce a national identity card scheme based on biometric technology, to be made compulsory by 2013. This has met with significant opposition, as this followed a public consultation where the overwhelming majority of those replying had stated that they did not want the government to issue identity cards.
Countries with compulsory identity cards:
- make list here
Countries without compulsory identity cards: