Civil Society

A Civil Society is a social structure of non-governmental entities (organizations, institutions, the private sector).

• Context:
  • It can (typically) promote democratic values by facilitating freedom of speech, assembly, and association.
  • It can (often) play a role in advancing the interests, values, and will of citizens.
  • It can (often) include non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community groups, labor unions, and other entities that operate independently of the government.
  • It can (often) be involved in humanitarian efforts, disaster relief, education, and health services, especially in areas where the government is absent or ineffective.
  • It can (often) function as a mediator between the state and the public, advocating for public interests and ensuring government accountability.
  • It can (often) contribute to social cohesion and stability by addressing social issues and providing services that complement or challenge government policies.
  • It can range from grassroots movements and local advocacy groups to large international organizations.
  • It can act as a check on government power, ensuring that state actions are in line with societal values and human rights.
  • It can influence policy-making by organizing public opinion and lobbying for legislative changes.
  • It can be funded by private donations, membership dues, grants, and philanthropic foundations.
  • It can be seen as a space where citizens can exercise their rights and responsibilities, contributing to a vibrant and dynamic society.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) with members such as:
    • Red Cross Society and Red Crescent Society, which provide global humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and health services, often working in regions where government presence is limited or nonexistent.
    • Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), an international medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare.
  • Human Rights Organizations with members such as:
    • Amnesty International, an organization dedicated to protecting human rights worldwide by investigating and exposing human rights abuses, and advocating for the rights of individuals at risk.
    • Human Rights Watch, which conducts research and advocacy on human rights, pressing for changes in laws, policies, and practices to prevent and remedy human rights violations.
  • The Occupy Wall Street Movement, a grassroots movement that emerged in 2011 to protest economic inequality, corporate influence on democracy, and the growing gap between the rich and the poor. This movement exemplifies civil society’s ability to mobilize citizens and raise awareness of social issues, despite not being a formal organization.
  • Community-Based Organizations such as:
    • Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), a U.S.-based nonprofit organization advocating against drunk driving, supporting victims of violent crime, and pushing for stricter alcohol policies.
    • Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home, fostering community spirit and addressing the basic need for shelter.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • A Governmental Society ...
  • A For-Profit Society ...
  • A Military Society ...
• See: Private Sphere, Normative, Society, Government, Public Sphere.

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References

2024

• (Wikipedia, 2024) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/civil_society Retrieved:2024-8-15.
  • Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere. By other authors, civil society is used in the sense of

    1) the aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that advance the interests and will of citizens or

    2) individuals and organizations in a society which are independent of the government.

    Sometimes the term civil society is used in the more general sense of "the elements such as freedom of speech, an independent judiciary, etc, that make up a democratic society" (Collins English Dictionary). Especially in the discussions among thinkers of Eastern and Central Europe, civil society is seen also as a normative concept of civic values.

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