What is meant by ‘Civil Society’ and is it a useful concept?
What is meant by ‘Civil Society’ and is it a useful concept? Introduction
Although the term “civil society” can be traced to ancient Greece, as Martin Shaw has explained, the modern concept of civil society originated from the philosophical and political thinking of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. At that time the thinking “began to distinguish systematically between the spheres of state and society” (Shaw, 1996: 296-278). The essence of the concept of civil society was its existence “as a domain parallel to but separate from the state” (Carothers, 2000: 18) where individually formed associations were driven by collective interests. Changing social and economic forces and the “demand for liberty” (Carothers, 2000: 18) were the springboard for it’s creation. After a period in the doldrums in the mid-19th century, it re-emerged as a social concept post World War II in the work of Antonio Gransci. He argued that “Between the economic structure and the state with its legislation and coercion stands civil society” (Shaw,1996:296-278).On this approach, civil society had an autonomous existence separate from the state. The intention in this essay is to discuss the traditional conception of civil society, explore the analyses of Michael Edwards, Petr Kopecty/Cas Mudde and Thomas Carothers and derive conclusions from John Clark’s analysis of ‘Civil Society in The Age of Crisis’.
The Traditional Approach
Martin Shaw cites economically motivated institutions like trade unions and other socially orientated organisations such as religious groups and other professional associations as components of what goes to create civil society. John Keane’s definition envisages that the non-governmental institutions that make up civil society are “non-violent, self-organising, self-reflective, and permanently in tension with each other and with the state institutions that frame, constrict and enables their activities” (Keane, 1998). In a modern context there
Although the term “civil society” can be traced to ancient Greece, as Martin Shaw has explained, the modern concept of civil society originated from the philosophical and political thinking of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. At that time the thinking “began to distinguish systematically between the spheres of state and society” (Shaw, 1996: 296-278). The essence of the concept of civil society was its existence “as a domain parallel to but separate from the state” (Carothers, 2000: 18) where individually formed associations were driven by collective interests. Changing social and economic forces and the “demand for liberty” (Carothers, 2000: 18) were the springboard for it’s creation. After a period in the doldrums in the mid-19th century, it re-emerged as a social concept post World War II in the work of Antonio Gransci. He argued that “Between the economic structure and the state with its legislation and coercion stands civil society” (Shaw,1996:296-278).On this approach, civil society had an autonomous existence separate from the state. The intention in this essay is to discuss the traditional conception of civil society, explore the analyses of Michael Edwards, Petr Kopecty/Cas Mudde and Thomas Carothers and derive conclusions from John Clark’s analysis of ‘Civil Society in The Age of Crisis’.
The Traditional Approach
Martin Shaw cites economically motivated institutions like trade unions and other socially orientated organisations such as religious groups and other professional associations as components of what goes to create civil society. John Keane’s definition envisages that the non-governmental institutions that make up civil society are “non-violent, self-organising, self-reflective, and permanently in tension with each other and with the state institutions that frame, constrict and enables their activities” (Keane, 1998). In a modern context there
Bibliography: Carothers, T, (1999-2000) ‘Foreign Policy’ No. 117, pg. 18-29 Clark, J, (2011) ‘Civil Society in the Age of Crisis, Journal of Civil Society’, 7:3, 241-263 Edwards M, (2005), ‘Civil Society, the encyclopaedia of informal education, www.infed.org/association/civil_society.htm Gibbons, A, (2009) ‘ Sociology, Polity Press Jensen, M (2011) ‘Civil Society in Liberal Democracy’, Taylor & Francis, Hoboken, IBSN Keane, J, (2005) ‘Eleven Theses on Markets and Civil Society’, Journal of Civil Society, 1:1, 25-34, Kopecky, P & Mudde, C, (2003) ‘Rethinking Civil Society, Democratization, 10:3, 1-14 Shaw, M, (1996) ‘Civil Society’ in Lester Kurtz, ed., Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict, San Diego: Academic Press, 269-78 Outhwaite, W, (2008) ‘The Future of society, Wiley, Oxford