civil society

What is the meaning of the term civil society? How many civil society groups do you know about? What are the roles of the civil society groups that you know about? Let’s dig in and find out more about this topic.

Learning objectives

By the end of this topic, you are expected to;

• Understand the meaning of the term civil society
• Understand the purposes of civil society groups
• Understand the roles of civil society groups
• Describe the qualifications to be considered a civil society group

Civil society can be said to be the 3^rd sector of society, distinct from business and government, and including the family as well as the private sphere. Some authors use the term civil society as an aggregate of non-governmental institutions and organizations manifesting the interests and the will of the people, or organizations and individuals in a society that is independent of the government.

The term civil society can also be used in a more general way of “elements like the independence of the judiciary, freedom of speech and many more that make up a democratic society”.

Democracy

The literature on the relationship between the democratic political society and the civil society have their roots in the writings of G.W.F. Hegel from whom they were adapted by Alexis de Tocqueville, Ferdinand Tonnies and Karl Marx. Hegel was a German philosopher, and an important founding figure of modern western philosophy. Alexis de Tocqueville was a political scientist, politician, and historian, best known for his analysis of social systems and politics, and for democracy in America. Ferdinand Tonnies was a German economist, philosopher, and sociologist. He is best known for putting a distinction between two social groups, community and society. Karl Marx was a German philosopher, economist, and author, best known for his ideas concerning communism and capitalism. He was also considered more of an activist by many.

They argued that the political element of political organizations helps in better awareness as well as a more informed citizenry, who make better choices during voting, participate in matters of politics and hold the government more accountable.

Recently, Robert D. Putnam has argued that non-political organizations in civil society are also vital for democracy. This is due to the fact that they build trust, social capital and shared values that are transferred to the political sphere and help in holding the society together, therefore facilitating an understanding of the interconnectedness of the society as well as the interests in it.

Some authors have questioned the nature of democratic civil society. Some have argued that some of those involved in democratic civil society have obtained a notable amount of political power without being directly elected or appointed. Some have also argued that civil society is biased towards the global north.

A democratic country cannot be stable unless it is legitimate and effective, and with the support of its citizens. Civil society checks and monitors the government, and also plays as an important partner in the quest for a positive relationship between a state and its citizens.

Civil society groups have been involved in regime changes. For example, the replacement of communist regimes by democratic regimes in Eastern Europe countries after 1989. Civil society movements have also been involved in toppling dictators and corrupt leaders in many parts of the world to restore democracy.

Civil societies can be local, national, or international/global. Local civil societies operate in a specific area in a state. National civil society groups operate on a national level to address issues facing citizens of a country or state. An example of national civil society group is the Uganda Land Alliance. Global civil society groups which deal with issues like climate change, food security, security, and human rights operate across the world. for example, the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Civil societies have also been involved in the policy-making processes concerning the environment. These groups set up an agenda on fixing the harms that are brought to the environment.

Institutions

Civil society organizations which are also referred to as civic organizations include;

• Academia. This includes academic institutions set up for academic purposes. Often every college or school that has an academic institution is called an academic group. They provide services such as running schools.
• Activist groups. These groups advocate and campaign for issues affecting people, like the rise of corruption in a country.
• Charities. These are organizations whose primary objectives are social well-being and philanthropy. These organizations often depend on donations from businesses.
• Trade unions. These are organizations whose membership is mostly workers. These workers come together in order to achieve specific goals like improving safety standards, advocating for better wages, and protecting trade integrity. Others include;
• Media. Media organizations are also used to promote the welfare of people and expose ill doings. The media may help promote integrity and reduce the risk of corruption.
• Youth clubs. Some civil society groups focusing on addressing issues affecting the youths. They deal with issues such as drug and substance abuse, and promotion of reproductive health.
• Cooperatives. Cooperatives are active in promoting entrepreneurship as well as job creation through mobilization of communities in service delivery and stimulation of income generating activities for the marginalized and poor.

Roles of civil society

Some of the roles played by the civil society include;

• Promotion of peace and security. Civil societies have the role of promoting cohesion between people for a peaceful coexistence.
• Fighting against disease. A group like the National Aids Control Council is an example of civil society role in fighting diseases and infections.
• Implementation of development. Civil society works alongside the government and private sector to facilitate the development of development projects to promote welfare of the people.
• Sharing of resources. Civil society provides resources such as education, healthcare, water and sanitation, food, and economic incentives to promote resource sharing.
• They act as watchdog for society. Civil society checks governance systems and prevent government excesses like corruption, authoritarianism, and misuse of public resources. It also fights against gender based violence.
• Disaster management. Some civil society groups like the Red Cross help to manage disasters like famine, floods, and accidents.
• Advocating and raising awareness on issues affecting people. Civil society also act as whistleblower to raise awareness on issues such as climate change and environmental conservation. For example, Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras campaigns on issues such as logging and dams which will affect the indigenous people.

Qualifications for civil society

For an organization or institution to be considered a civil society, it must meet the following qualifications;

• Access should be voluntary.
• The organization should not be engaged in core government business.
• Profit should not be a prime objective. The organization should be aimed at service delivery.
• The governance structure should be autonomous. It should not be influenced by the government.
• Any profits accruing may not be distributed to members or owners. This is instead used for service provision.

Summary

We've learned that;

• Civil society is made up of organizations not associated with the government, and aimed at improving the life of people.
• Civil societies can be local, national, or international/global.
• The main goal of civil societies is to improve livelihoods.