Civil Society

Question 1

Defintion of Civil Society

Answer 1

A civil society refers to individuals and organisations whose main goal is to create social value

• Social value enriches lives, creates more equal society
• strong relationship between the people

Question 2

What are interest/pressure groups? How do they exert their influence?

Answer 2

Aims to influence the actions and policies of the government.

1. public sympathy
2. size of membership
3. financial strength
4. personal links to gov
5. courts, assemblies and mass media

petitions, protests, demonstrations and tactile violence groups to show outsider status of groups and gain attention of gov.

Extinction Rebellion - only 14 arrests, shocked as message wasnt getting through.

Question 3

Explain the ‘new politics’ age

Answer 3

The young are better educated, more affluent with an increased influence in politics.

Question 4

Describe the history of civil society and technology

Answer 4

Industrialisation to post industrialisation has changed structure of society where economically class divisions have displaced the fixed social hierarchies. - Social class emerged as principle central organ of society.

Technology:
revolutionary: telegraph
tv and satellites
wifi and connectivity

Question 5

What has emerged out of an information society?

Answer 5

1. A knowledge economy - knowledge is a key source of competitiveness and productivity.
2. Trans border groups
   - NGO’s
   - TNC’s - Nike, Apple, Mc Donalds
   - Criminal Organisations - Al-Qaeda and IS

Some groups more powerful = business groups have more financial capability
E.g Obama and Mitt Romney $6bn spent on campaign

Question 6

Pros and Cons of the Internet

Answer 6

The Internet
New media can be a source of citizen empowerment and provides potential constrains on the government.

Impairs ability for people to think and courages them to skim read news which ruins ability to concentrate.
only see what you want to see - news bias
spread of Fake News

Lead to restrictions on internet
- Chinese Censorship of media and political oversight in university.
(a tactic as they see muslims encroaching in their society)
- “contributes to social stability”

Question 7

what is the role of the media in promoting democratic pinciples?

Answer 7

1. promotion of political education - serious debate
2. watch dog and exposing abuses of power
3. widens access to information
4. facilitates political activism

Question 8

Examples of Pressure Groups

Answer 8

Arab spring
Je suis Charlie
Amnesty int - present in more than 100 countries, exposing human rights abuses

Metoo movement

• agenda setting - raises awareness
• new style of activism - mass media,
• bitesized information - relatable fast and flowing
• no credibility or accountability.