Civil society has become a buzzword in the rhetoric of a wide circle of classes, from political scientists to presidents. It has often been quoted as the key to political, economic and societal success. However, the concept of civil society has been charged with far more expectations than it can possibly achieve. What is the actual potential of civil society? Where should we be careful not to oversell its strength?
A paper by Thomas Carothers, vice president for global policy at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, examines the history of civil society and explores the above questions in an international context. With examples about the uses and abuses of civil society, the paper demonstrates that there is a fragile link between civil society, democracy, governmental and non-governmental organisations, the state, and globalisation. The relations between them are multi-dimensional and not always straightforward; neither are the outcomes of these relations always positive. Civil society and the state develop in tandem, not at each other’s expense.
Civil society cannot be identified only with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like advocacy groups. It encompasses the market and all the organisations and associations that exist outside the state, including political parties. Other conclusions from the paper are:
- NGOs play an important role for shaping policy and fostering citizen participation. However, in democratising countries, the NGO sectors are often dominated by elite-run groups that have only tenuous ties to the citizens on whose behalf they claim to act.
- The idea that civil society represents only the public good is wrong. Often civil society becomes concerned with private economic interests and its actors may associate to advance nefarious as well as worthy ends.
- An active and diverse civil society may help advance democracy, and vice versa (by fostering greater civic and political participation). Equally, a strong civil society can reflect political weaknesses, while stable democracies can exist in week civil societies.
- Civil society can be a partner to a successful market economy but economic success is not guaranteed by civil society. A strong civil society can exist with a week economy and vice versa. The wrong type of civil society can be economically harmful.
- Civil society develops in capable and competent governments, whereas its development is retarded in inefficient and incompetent states. When the state has powers for setting and enforcing policy, civil society can be effective in shaping it.
- Transnational/global civil society carries the potential to reshape the world, but it has its dark sides too. It is part of the projection of Western political and economic power into developing and transitional societies; it may facilitate transnational organised crime.
Civil Society may take different forms. Developing one model of civil society should not provoke an intolerant attitude towards different democracies. Other policy implications of the paper are:
- To reinforce economic development, different sectors of civil society should encourage sound governmental policies and work to increase the flow of knowledge and information within society.
- Good non- governmental advocacy work will strengthen state capacity.
- Vigorous civic activism may help prompt the creation of governmental agencies, laws, and enforcement mechanisms.
- to help develop a healthy civil society, states should establish clear, workable regulatory frameworks for the NGOs sector. They should enact tax incentives, adopt transparent procedures, and pursue partnerships with the non-governmental organisations.
