This chapter proposes to revisit the T.H. Marshall theory of citizenship stressing its present relevance. Departing from the author’s conception of social citizenship, an analysis of the relevance of defining a decent standard of living for social policy is developed. Particularly it is argued the adoption of a minimum protection policy or a normative and civilizational reference safeguarding fundamental rights of citizenship in Portugal. We intend to highlight the consistency between Marshall’s conception of social citizenship, anchored in the right to a modicum standard of economic welfare and security, and the theories of human needs. In addition, we discuss the consistency between his vision of right to civilizational inheritance attained in own community and consensual approaches, which favour an historical and cultural context of patterns of need satisfaction, transparency, democratic and public discussion and social construction of thresholds of human dignity safeguard. Based, at theoretical, methodological and empirical levels, on the research project Minimum Income Standard in Portugal, undertaken since January 2012, by researchers from Lisbon University and Catholic University of Portugal, this chapter consists of an exploratory analysis of citizen’s rationalities when discussing what one should have to attain for an adequate standard of living in Portugal. Data was collected qualitatively by means of 9 focus groups, corresponding to the initial stage of the field work of the research project as a whole (orientation groups). Findings point to the existence of sensitive contact points, summed up as the reference to the five giants of social policy; the concern with safety and security, and the reference to the prevailing standards.

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T.H. Marshall, social citizenship, decent standard of living, human needs, consensual approach, Portugal.