What is civil society? the aim is to find out what the term actually means. In the 12-part series, Rahul Sarnaik aims to explore the many different aspects of the concept and examine how it has been implemented in practice in both developed and developing countries.
Discussion of civil society
Civil society is a term that is emerging more and more among those interested in the changing shape of modern society.
Politicians talk about the needs of civil society; In fact, along with the state and the market, advisers to the US government have suggested that it is the “ultimate third way” of governing society.
In his inaugural address, US President George W Bush said that:
“Civil society demands goodwill and respect, fair treatment and forgiveness from each of us.”
Diplomats also talk about the value of civil society. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said at a recent conference:
“The UN once dealt only with governments. By now, we know that peace and prosperity cannot be achieved without partnerships involving governments, international organizations, business and civil society. In today’s world, we depend on each other.
Even journalists ponder the likelihood of civil society; British magazine The Economist recently commented:
“After decades of totalitarianism and centuries of autocracy, it would be foolish to expect Russia to create a strong civil society.”
Civil society may be talked about a lot – but what does it really mean?
Diversity
Consider the range of images – anti-World Trade Organization protesters clashing with police in capitals around the world; volunteer rescue workers from developed countries helping to rescue victims of the Gujarat earthquake.
Eco-warriors fight to protect whales and dolphins; rescuing children from a life of slave labor in the carpet factories of South and Southeast Asia; millions of television viewers around the world watch rock stars perform at Live Aid in 1985 to raise funds for famine relief.
What they have in common is that they are all parts of civil society.
Definition
The paradox of civil society is that it encompasses a wide range of activities – yet it is very difficult to define.
One description puts it pretty succinctly:
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So this could include any voluntary collective action where people come together to achieve change on a particular issue – but not political parties, although civil society has a political dimension.
According to this definition, civil society includes charities; neighborhood self-help programs; international bodies such as the UN or the Red Cross; religious pressure groups; human rights campaigns in an oppressive society; and NGOs that improve health, education and living standards in both developed and developing countries.
Civil society for all
A key feature of civil society is its universality – it affects everyone, every nation on earth.
What is civil society? we will look at how the concept was born about 2500 years ago in ancient Greece and Rome, how it developed in Europe during the Enlightenment and how it is applied today all over the world.
The series also examines examples of civil society activities worldwide – on the street, in the community, at the national and international level, and on many different topics. And asks, is civil society – as its supporters claim – an essential feature of a free society?
Does it provide social structure in nations where government is non-existent or rudimentary? And if so, should criminal networks like the Colombian and Russian mafia be considered part of civil society?
Clubs of the future
It’s also a term we’ll be hearing a lot more in the future.
But what role will civil society play in a world where globalization and marketization drive social, economic and political changes?
What are the effects of the rapidly changing field of information technology on civil society? And how will phenomena such as the greenhouse effect, international migration, population growth and the fight against HIV and AIDS shape our understanding of civil society in the future?
These are different things, but they affect everyone and will continue to define the way we all live.