Upon reaching a certain age, all citizens receive not only status, but also the opportunity to exercise their rights. But there are responsibilities, without which a person cannot live in society.
Jurisprudence
The term "coming of age" refers to civil law. This is a certain age at the onset of which a person receives specific rights and obligations that are prescribed by law. The legal field of this concept includes the ability to marry, dispose of their own property and income, bear full responsibility for the rule of law, and take part in elections and referenda. A citizen can exercise the latter aspect through the right to vote. And all these opportunities have received a common name - legal capacity.
Different historical eras and countries had their own view on the specific age of majority. Very often, he had precisely sexual restrictions. For example, medieval Europe paid particular attention to the right to marry. This was not only dictated by laws, but also had a religious influence. For example, boys could marry from the age of 14, and girls from 12. In the modern world, the right to marry is clearly spelled out in legal acts that relate to family and civil law.
Religion
In addition to the legal side, there is still legal coming of age according to religion. And often they are significantly different from each other. The main world religions have their justified view of the rights and obligations of the younger generation.
In Islam, adulthood is divided by gender, in girls it begins at the age of nine, and in boys from 12 years of age. This framework in the Qur'an exists quite reasonably and is tied to puberty. That is, the girl is recognized as an adult with the first menstruation and the opportunity to have offspring, and the boys, respectively, with the allocation of seed. In addition to the external signs of this status, in Muslims, coming of age means observing the legal and religious principles of religion. Upon reaching adulthood, young people have the right to live in marriage and bear full responsibility for themselves and their actions.
According to the Bahá'í religion, it is from the age of 15 for both sexes. At this age, community members are fully responsible for their spiritual development, comply with laws on fasting and prayer.
Legislation and age
International experience in legal regulation of this status has its own definition of this age. According to the International Declaration, a person is considered an adult at 18 years old. Adulthood in many countries corresponds to this figure.
An interesting phenomenon is lowering this bar to 16 years. For example, in states such as Egypt, Bahrain and Honduras. In the People's Republic of China - 17 years old, in South Korea - 19, in Japan and Tunisia - 20. The earliest known adulthood is the age of 14 years - in the Faroe Islands.
There are countries in which majority is not related to suffrage. In Malaysia and Brazil, it occurs at the age of 18, but Malaysians vote only from 21 years old, and Brazilians - from 16 years old. There are also states where the age of majority in the federal units is different. These are England and Scotland, 18 and 16 years old respectively.
When does coming of age come to the USA? According to legislative norms, this status is given to adolescents from 18 years of age. Adulthood in Wyoming, Nebraska and Alabama comes at age 19, and only in the states of New York and Mississippi - at age 21. So there is no consensus on this issue.
Alabama and several others periodically try to enact laws at the local level to prohibit wearing too short skirts and lowered pants. Such a policy is aimed at improving the morality of citizens, especially since in the country, if the law is adopted, it is followed by all, without exception. Otherwise, you can be held accountable.
Psychological aspect
One of the most important aspects for determining adulthood is psychological. Psychologist Lev Marchenko sets 18 years of age as a starting point due to the fact that most people by this time finish school and take on a new social role. In general, the basic mental processes are completed. Over the next years, they only strengthen. In addition, it is believed that by the age of 23 a person has already formed social attitudes and moral self-awareness, he is already an adult. Of course, the age framework is rather arbitrary.
Civil rights
Coming of age is such a sacred age milestone. The average physical maturity is approaching, a person has enough knowledge to consciously make a choice, hence the suffrage from the age of 18. At the same time, of course, at this age, people are still not completely independent and continue to depend on adults. That is, there are sexual signs of growing up, but there is no experience yet, so it is quite reasonable to designate this age as a larger number. In this case, more mature peers will gain the missing experience, and those that are weaker will be pulled up to the average level.
With the beginning of leading an intimate life, everything is much simpler. In fact, puberty comes long before formal adulthood, but young people are still not ready for the consequences. Few people under 18 are able to start a family, raise a child and fully integrate into an adult society. Of course, at eighteen too. But this is the minimum that should be enough for a more or less normal human life.
USA
What is the difference between coming of age in the USA?
Until the age of 14, all adolescents, without exception, are not considered competent. Only after 14 years they receive some rights, for example, to choose their own guardians. With regard to marriage, girls can consent at 12 years old, and boys at 14.
The right to drive a car in all states is sixteen, but this has nothing to do with full civil rights.
Almost all states determine the age of majority in the United States from the age of 18. Then young people become full-fledged citizens and receive a set of certain rights and obligations.
Moreover, if there is 18 years old, but the teenager continues to study at school, then he is not considered an adult until the end of training.
The legislation of the country separately provides for full adulthood. In America, it occurs only at 21. At this age, a person has the right to enjoy all civil rights: the right to vote, the right to serve in the police, and so on.
Features
Alabama, as well as Wyoming and Nebraska, have an age of nineteen, and New York and the Mississippi twenty-one.
The definition of this status at a later age is understandable. This is a struggle for morality. Only with the onset of a certain age, you can buy alcoholic drinks and cigarettes, attend nightclubs. In the United States, compliance with the law is everyone’s duty, and they will never sell some goods without presenting documents.
This partly led to a fake identity for clubs and alcohol. Indeed, it is actually very difficult to visually determine the exact age.
It is possible that coming of age in the USA will undergo some transformations, but it is not yet known which way.
To summarize
The coming of age for many is a sacred age milestone.The average physical maturity comes, a person accumulates by this time enough knowledge to consciously make any choice. Americans completely change their view of a person if he is 21 years old. It is believed that this is a person, not a child. A person already has the right to make any decisions and bears full legal responsibility for them. For yesterday's teenager, the life of an ordinary average citizen becomes accessible.
