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| Civil Society And Governance | | | ANKUR SHARMA | 5/26/2012 7:14:32 PM |
| In recent years, there has been a widespread acknowledgement of civil society's role in improving governance. U.N's Millennium Project Report (Investing in Development) for example, claims that "strong civil society engagement and participation are crucial to effective governance." But before exploring 'civil society' let us deal with its evolution. Background: In Western social and political thinkers writings especially of Montesquieu, Hegel and Tocqueville, the concept of civil society has been quite an influential theme .Post World War-II situation was such that many social thinkers used the concept (civil society) in their inquiry into the causes why some democracies survived the great depression while others gave rise to fascism .The resurgence of the concept of civil society can be attributed to a great extent to the inspiration aroused by the Civil Societies' resistance to the post-totalitarian regimes in Eastern - Europe and the former Soviet Union. The democratic transition in Third World Countries inspired scholars and researchers to probe further into the makings and functioning of Civil Society. Two Modes Of Social Development:- One: - State or government -led development and Two: - Community -led government. One: - The concept of 'Welfare State'- in Western Countries during exploitative phase of Industrial revolution and in 3rd world countries as they emerged out of the exploitative clutches of the colonial Rule in the post world war-II situation.
Two:- Historically:-Church in the west has long been associated with social development activities with numerous voluntary associates such as Rotaries and other organizations. In India Gandhi's 'Sevagram' and Tagore's 'Shriniketan' model of rural development have been typical of community-based people's autonomous social development enterprises. When Julius Nyerere (Tanzanian) leader said that 'people cannot be developed, they can only develop themselves' he was placing emphasis on the importance of community's internal strength as the firm basis of authentic development.
Contemporary Background:-
The state's traditional role as the primary developer, organizer and supplier of most social services has been undergoing a sea change in recent times .The styles of governance also are undergoing major changes in recent decades under the impact of rising public demands for social services that the state alone is unable to meet successfully. Also, there are strong socio-economic forces challenging the hegemonic position of the states as the sole decider and supplier of social services. The recent globalization trend has further fuelled the urge to look for alternative ways of making provision for social services beyond the known exclusive sole of the traditional supplier- the state. Liberalization policies under the impact of what is called 'neo-liberalism' have widened the roles responsibilities and burdens of social actors outside the state. Also, in the post cold war period, the collapse of Soviet System led to a resurgence of the idea of 'civil society' as a necessary social space for building and sustaining democracy though the capacity building of liberty - loving citizens as the bulwark of a strong democratic state. The prominence of 'Civil Society' can also be traced to successive waves of democratization, beginning in Latin America and Eastern Europe, and spreading across the developing world. Civil society became a crucial agent for limiting authoritarian Govt. and working towards popular empowerment. Other Aspects are Democratic accountability; improving the quality and inclusiveness of governance. Its role in the provision of public goods and social services in supplementation of state /Govt. provision, and its particular role during civic emergencies like floods and earthquakes have received universal acknowledgement and acclaim. Against this background, civil society has been considered to be an essential prerequisite of good 'governance'. Its contribution has been particularly recognized in nurturing an ethical and open democracy by working steadfastly towards ensuring transparency, effectiveness openness, responsiveness and accountability; the rule of law, and the acceptance of diversity and pluralism. Civil society has also a glorious track record of exposing the special interests of the excluded sections of society - The marginalized, the poor and the women.
Definitional problem:- Numerous definitions- often due to alternative social and political philosophies that are not always easy to reconcile. Political and Sociological Conceptions:- Politically conceived: - Civil society is rooted in the Anglo-American tradition of liberal democratic theory which identifies civic institutions and political activity as an essential component of the emergence of a particular type of political society based on the principles of the citizen ships, rights, democratic representation and the rule of law. Sociological:- Conception of civil society is that of an intermediate associational realm situated between the state on the one side and the basic building blocks of the society (individuals, families and firms) on the other inhabited by social organizations with some degree of autonomy and voluntary participation on the part of their members. But- The political definition is often criticized on the ground that (a)It ends to assume that all societies -no matter how diverse in cultural, social and political terms- are destined to follow the path of liberal democratization and (b)Even granting a close nexus, historically speaking between civil society and the evolutionary process of liberal democratization in the west , the latter idea itself has a variety of versions and inherent problems in practice. Problems with the Sociological Definitions:- For example, should the Mafia and others secret and criminal societies be included within 'civil society' umbrella? Two conceptions of civil society dominate modern social and political thought and both are rooted in liberal democratic theory. Second and related strand of liberal thinking is Tocqueville's notion that civil society is an intermediate sphere of voluntary association sustained by an informal culture of self-organization and co-operation. Again , autonomy and voluntary participation - the hall marks of civil society - mayn't be present in many state-dependent organizations. For example in many Third World Countries, groups and organizations that form part of civil society operate secretly because of bans on them or systematic state repression. Should these be included as civil society organizations? The idea of 'civil society' is intrinsically linked to liberal discourse exposing plurality of social views. As such, the notion of civil society is associated with certain characteristics such as:-Voluntary organization ; and separation and autonomy from the state. Social organizations in the real world only embody these characteristics to varying degrees: the boundaries between state and civil society are often blurred, the organizational spheres may overlap and individuals may play roles in both sectors.Larry Diamond defines civil society as, "Civil Society is the realm of organized social life that is voluntary, self generating, (largely) self supporting , autonomous fro the state, bound by a legal order or set of shared rules. It is distinct from 'society' in general in that it involves citizens acting collectively in a public sphere to express their interests , passions and ideas, exchange info, achieve mutual goals , make demands on the state and hold the state officials accountable. Civil society is an intermediary entity standing between the private sphere and the state. Civil Society is concerned with public rather than private ends. Civil society relates to the state in some way but doesn't aim to win formal power." Civil Societies in developing countries
It falls into many categories. Distinction is to be made between Modern interest groups - such as trade unions, professional and business associations. And traditional organ-isations: - based on kinship, ethnicity, culture or religion. Organizations with specifically political aspirations and goals. And organizations either outside politics or only intermittently involved. Those which accept the political status quo. And those which seek to transform it .Between highly organised and well resourced interest groups such as trade unions and business / professional organisations and other form such as NGOS or community association. Orga-nisations with extensive membership with quite limited membership. Between organ-isations with wider social or political agenda and organizations with narrow interests of their members. Roles And Activities:- In roles and activities, Civil Society vary such as:- a) Those engaged in mobilization of social actors (women, labours, dalits etc) b) Others representing the interests of specific groups in government- society interactions.
c) Some others monitoring and evaluating Government activities on behalf of society.
d) Many other who are engaged in development activities - commonly known as 'development NGOS'. A part from this they :- contribute such as Seeking transformation of authoritarian rule into a democratic one. To further deeper an existing democratic regime. Improving equity, stimulating developmental action. They help foster fairer, more honest, transparent, democratic and accountable governance which is more tolerant of diversity and pluralism. They can create opportunities for the people to gain participatory experience that inculcates the skills needed to make such governance a reality. Civil Society and Governance:- The contribution made by civil society to good governance is essentially concerned with the means by which organized interests seek to influence and engage with state institutions. In doing so, they usually help to strengthen state legitimacy and relations of trust between public official and ordinary citizens. Robert Putnam, "Economics doesn't predict civics, but civics does predict economics, better than economics, better than economics itself." He actualizes on 'civicness' or a sense of civic community. A part from its 'democratizing worth and democracy- strengthening value, four major areas can be identified where civil society can positively contribute to 'good governance'. These are:-a) Public policy and decision making.(by bringing local involvement in D.M)b)Transparency and information.(contribution by improving these two).c)Social change through social activism.(by mobilizing people to achieve changes). d) Supplementing government effort. (by PPP and providing education, health, environmental services). e) Working for social justice. Within Social Justice it has following roles (a) Advocacy Role and (b) Protective Role. Civil Society in the Context of Globalization:- There is a perception that, increasingly important decisions affecting people's lives and well - being are being made in non-transparent ways in supranational institutions that are not accountable to citizens and not accessible to citizen engagement. Decisions about trade rules, IPRS, privatization of vital public services, macro economics restructuring policies and debt relief are made behind closed doors in ways that are largely perceived to be undemocratic. It is against this background that the notion of Civil Society has re-entered the mainstream discourse.
What the 'World Social Forum' and recent global civil society gatherings have come to represent for many people around the world are space where the voices of average citizens 'count' in discussions around social, political and economic justice. They are venues where people and groups who feel increasingly alienated from the prevailing global system can join together to explore alternative visions for a more ethical form of globalization that works for a more ethical form of globalization that works for the benefit of average people.
Since the Rio Earth Summit, the civil society has come into its own as an important political, social and economic actor. Civil Society groups have often stepped into the uneasy vacuum of post-conflict situations and have compensated for the state (not without debate) in the growing number of instances where vital public services have been rolled back due to macro-economic reforms. Public campaign's by Civil Societies on issues such as landmines, debt relief and the International Criminal Court had a definable impact. Thus, a civil society has matured, its credibility with outside audiences has grown. Challenges Facing Civil Society First challenge is of power and power imbalances within civil society. (Multi Million dollar organizations and tiny citizen based - organizations).who's voice will be heard?.
Second internal challenge to civil society is about bridging narrow interests and broader goals. Eg:-Bridging need between Human rights organizations and development organizations. They need to be bridged. Third challenge: - is to articulate a coherent vision for a more just and equitable global system. Fourth Challenge:- is one that emanates from outside civil society. The allegation is made that citizen activism threatens to undermine democratic systems by 'short- circuiting' established procedures for decision making. This kind of argument is short-sighted and oblivious of the fact that an active, engaged citizenry is essential for a healthy democratic society. To reduce democracy to a singular act of voting once every four or five years is clearly an error. Civic activism complements democratic practices and makes them more effective by drawing citizens more fully into public life and providing a constant check on official accountability.5th Challenge (most complex):- The challenge of legitimacy and the related issues of transparency, representation and accountability. It is frequently said that civil society groups don't represent the views of anyone but themselves and that if they are accountable at all, it is usually 'upward' to their funders, rather than 'downward' to those they purportedly serve. Legitimacy can't be taken for granted and must continuously be earned. Civil society groups are taking up this challenge head-on. Self regulation mechanisms such as codes of ethic and standards of excellence have been adopted; a culture of transparency is also gaining strength across the sector; they work to derive legitimacy for their activities through extensive consultative processes. It is not being suggested that Civil Society is intrinsically good and that governments are bad. However, it should be recognized that effective democracy needs a vibrant civil society as well as an effective and accountable government. People are moving from representative democracy to participative democracy, finding new and more direct ways to get involved in public life and decision making and Civil societies are facilitating this. Conclusion Civil society functioning has a salutary capacity-building effect on democracy. Also, active Civil Society and strong democracy has been found to be closely related. Government-Civil Society synergy has come to occupy centre stage in contemporary development administrative studies particularly in relation to researches focused on poverty amelioration and accessing public services and government project benefits to the poor, the socially marg-inalized and the women and the children. |
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