Civil society and participation

Question 1

What is civil society according to Robertson?

Answer 1

The framework through which those without political authority live their lives
- kinship, familiy, religious institutions, economic relationships, etc.

Question 2

What is civil society?

Answer 2

when average citizens group together over a shared interest to form protests and marches to gain the governments attention

Question 3

what are characteristics of civil societies?

Answer 3

• not necessarily a uniform body: some may fight for a social cause while others seek to dismantle an injustice
  -congregation of diversse politcal groups

Question 4

What is an example of a civil society?

Answer 4

1986: Philipines: democratic social groups overthrew the dictator in favour of alternative political groups

Question 5

What is one limitation of civil society?

Answer 5

• difficult to define? What are the boundaries?
• impossible to reach consensus due to complexity of society

Question 6

what could cause a civil society to fail?

Answer 6

• harsh state sanctions
• bad relationship between individuals and the government
• lack of popular support

Question 7

How did civil society serve the western world in international aid?

Answer 7

• they were disenchanted by the fact that their aid was ineffective in fixing poverty in LEDCs
• used civil societies and NGOS to disperse money as to prevent corruption and get to the root of issues

Question 8

Give an advantage for donor countries and an advantage for aid recieving countries of the utilisation of civil society?

Answer 8

Donors: ensure their aid reached “grass roots” and opportunity to involve women and removed pressure from them to be the sole providers of welfare
Recievers: gave them opportunities to organise and stand up for their rights more

Question 9

What problem emerged with the aid system in the 90s?

Answer 9

NGOs became dependant on foreign funding for their activities (stopped trying to fing their own solutions)
authoritarian regimes began restricting the flow of foreing aid coming their way (eg. Russia interferef with NGO intervention)

Question 10

Name two debates over civil society

Answer 10

1. What does it entail? advocacy of interest groups? mafia organisations, fundamentalist sects? where is the boundary?
2. Difficulty translating the term and internatioal disagreement over its adequateness> seen as a westernised implant

Question 11

What is an interest group?

Answer 11

association formed to promote sectional interests in the political system (Robertson)

Question 12

How do they differ from political parties?

Answer 12

• Don’t aim to present themselves as candidates for government
• focus on a narrower range of issue than the government

Question 13

what are the two types of Interest group?

Answer 13

insiders: focus on lobbying and personal connections to win support
Outsiders: focus on gaining popular support through media and campaigns

Question 14

Name a strength of interest groups

Answer 14

facilitate new ideas into the political process
contain elements of pluralism which is essential in a democracy

Question 15

Name a limitation of interest groups

Answer 15

May disproportionately favour some groups over others and even the common good
difficult to give a clear definition

Question 16

What does rational choice theory say about interest groups?

Answer 16

They are the most rational form of political activity for average citizen because they are smaller than political parties which give the highest chance of return on effort

Question 17

Negative view of interest groups

Answer 17

Some dominate people’s interests and don’t allow for a diversity of viewpoints

Question 18

Positive view of interest groups

Answer 18

encourage public participations, conversation and mobilisation of society

Question 19

What is corporatism

Answer 19

When states start relationships with key interest groups who’s interests reflect the views of sections of society that are politically or economically strategic; with the aim of better policy-making

Question 20

What are the two types of corporatism?

Answer 20

1. Societal- when the choice of which group will be recognised by the state comes from the bottom (society, economic)
2. State- when the state is in charge of deciding which group is chosen

Question 21

When did corporatism reach its peak?

Answer 21

60s and 70s during the Keynesiand economica period in Europe
(still today some continental european countries still apply it)