Consolidation and Civil Society

Today’s Topics

1. Evaluation of concept of consolidation.

2. Definitions of civil society.

3. Purported roles of civil society.

Is Consolidation an Appropriate Concept?

Problems with the concept of consolidation

1. How can consolidated democracies become deconsolidated?

Problems with the concept of consolidation

2. How do we know when threshold of consolidation is crossed?

– How many people have to believe and how strongly?

Problems with the concept of consolidation

3. Teleological aspect.– Assumption that events are

naturally meant to follow this path.

– Mirroring modernization theory.

– Unclear where definition of consolidation comes from.

Problems with the concept of consolidation

4. Persistence of stable unconsolidated regimes.

– “Delegative democracies” (O’Donnell).

Problems with the concept of consolidation

5. Definition of institutionalization (O’Donnell).

– “Institution”: “regularized pattern of interaction that is known, practiced, and accepted by actors…” (O’Donnell)

Problems with the concept of consolidation

5. Definition of institutionalization (O’Donnell).

– Neglect of strong informal institutions.• E.g. Patron-client relations.

Problems with the concept of consolidation

• Solution may be to develop typologies of democracy, without assuming stages to consolidation.

• E.g. (Collier & Levitsky)– “Electoral” democracy.– “Delegative” democracy.– “Limited” democracy.– “De facto one-party” democracy.

Defining Civil Society

1. Civil society as a collective noun:

•NGOs•Political parties? (e.g. Fish def’n.)•Religious organizations?•State-funded organizations?

Defining Civil Society

2. Civil society as a space.• John Hall: Civil society a social

space for human experimentation with identities.

• Larry Diamond: “Realm of organized social life…”

Larry Diamond

• Different from society in general – citizens acting collectively in public sphere.

• Intermediary between private life and the state.

• Publicly oriented rather than private ends.

Defining Civil Society

3. Civil society as values or norms.

Putnam• Values of trust, tolerance, mutual

cooperation.

• Not necessarily political advocacy organizations.

• Building “social capital.”

Roles of Civil Society in Democratization

Roles of Civil Society

• More important after than during transition.

• Weak civil society doesn’t mean breakdown, but hinders consolidation and deepening of democracy (Howard).

Roles of Civil Society

Controlling and limiting state power.

Roles of Civil Society

Stimulates political participation by citizens.

Roles of Civil Society

Develops democratic attitudes: tolerance,

moderation, compromise.

Roles of Civil Society

Creates alternative channels for representing

interests.

Roles of Civil Society

Trains new political leaders.

Roles of Civil Society

Disseminates information to citizens.

Roles of Civil Society

Strengthens the state.

Other Roles of Civil Society (Van Rooy)

Improving socioeconomic development.

Other Roles of Civil Society

Creating social equity – helping the poorest.