See below an example (in Armenia) of what Yoshie has referred to. The related links are full with references to civil society and the former Soviet bloc countries. This is the new ideological usage of that old concept. Let's remember the best known reference to it in Marx (A contribution to the critique of political economy, Preface, 1859):
"The first work which I undertook to dispel the doubts assailing me was a critical re-examination of the Hegelian philosophy of law; the introduction to this work being published in the German-French Annals issued in Paris in 1844. My inquiry led me to the conclusion that neither legal relations nor political forms could be comprehended whether by themselves or on the basis of a so-called general development of the human mind, but that on the contrary they originate in the material conditions of life, the totality of which Hegel, following the example of English and French thinkers of the eighteenth century, embraces within the term "civil society"; that the anatomy of this civil society, however, has to be sought in political economy."
(Die erste Arbeit, unternommen zur Lösung der Zweifel, die mich bestürmten, war eine kritische Revision der Hegelschen Rechtsphilosophie, eine Arbeit, wovon die Einleitung in den 1844 in Paris herausgegebenen "Deutsch-Französichen Jahrbüchern" erschien. Meine Untersuchung mündete in dem Ergebnis, daß Rechtsverhältnisse wie Staatsformen weder aus sich selbst zu begreifen sind noch aus der sogenannten allgemeinen Entwicklung des menschlichen Geistes, sondern vielmehr in den materiellen Lebensverhältnissen wurzeln, deren Gesamtheit Hegel, nach dem Vorgang der Engländer und Franzosen des 18. Jahrhunderts, unter dem Namen "bürgerliche Gesellschaft" zusammenfaßt, daß aber die Anatomie der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft in der politischen Ökonomie zu suchen sei.)
In solidarity, R. Magellan
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-----Original message----
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 From: Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1 at osu.edu> Subject: Re: Civil Society Marches Toward Global Governance
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What do you think of the promotion of ideas of and international "aids" for "civil society" in the Eastern European countries (before and after the fall of socialism)? How do your remarks upon religion square with your thought on "civil society," in that churches and other religious orgs may be thought of as "social proximity organizations" par excellence in the period when unions and other secular left orgs are weak? (These aren't rhetorical questions -- just a sequel to my offlist query.)
Yoshie
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http://www.ngoc.am/newsletter13/article6.htm
THE CAUSE OF DEMOCRACY: US & EU ANNOUNCED COMPETITION FOR DEMOCRACY
AND CIVIL SOCIETY AWARDS.
Recently, the United States of America and the European Union announced a competition of Democracy and Civil
Society Awards for NGOs promoting "the cause of Democracy."
Established in 1997, the US-EU scheme aimed to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human
Rights. 140 organizations from 28 countries took part in the competition and only 50 of them from Eastern Europe and
the former Soviet Union were awarded US-EU Democracy and Civil Society awards, accompanied with $20.000 cash
grants. Four Armenian NGOs took part in the competition, namely Helsinki Committee of Armenia, the Union of
Lawyers and Political Scientists, Yerevan Press Club and Armenian Helsinki Association. Two of them
--Yerevan Press Club and Armenian Helsinki Association – were awarded prizes for their efforts in promoting
Democracy and protecting human rights. Yerevan Press Club and Armenian Helsinki Association had also actively
participated in drafting of the Law on Media and the Law on Grants. The awards were bestowed at the US Embassy in
Yerevan. The US Charge D’affairs and the British Ambassador to Armenia made presentations on this occasion.
How will the organizations deal with the money provided by the US and EU Governments? Where will the money go?
Armenian Helsinki Association will focus mainly on its institutional development. It aims to organize a seminar for
journalists and human rights activists. The organization will also upgrade its communication facilities. Meanwhile,
Yerevan Press Club plans to hold a seminar on Mass Media and organize a competition among journalists for $500
Press Club Award. Both, Yerevan Press Club and Armenian Helsinki Association have long-term goals of promoting
free press and Democracy in Armenia and are actively engaged in human rights’ protection campaigns
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http://www.ngoc.am/newsletter13/article8.htm
CIVIL SOCEITY AS WE SEE IT
Dr. Gevorg Poghosian, Sociological Association of Armenia, President
NGOs -- non-governmental, non-partisan and non-profit organizations are the basis of the civil society
During the
last 6-7 years about 1700 NGOs have been established in Armenia. This is a large number for Armenia, which is to
prove that the current circumstances provide people an opportunity to join round common interests. This number,
definitely, will not remain the same as there is an inner logic of NGO development. According to that logic, the NGO
development takes place in three phases: fledgling of NGOs, merging of NGOs in different associations and
strengthening of some NGOs. This surely does not mean that at the end we will have only 3 or so organizations,
however, there will be 10-15 strong ones that will play a leading role in public life. In countries with established
democracies, these organizations have a crucial role. The main goal of the first organizations ever established was to
protect human rights
Human Rights organizations are very few in Armenia. The same can be said about the
environmental NGOs. Whereas, these are the spheres starving for active public participation
Aida Topuzian, League of Women Voters, President
The role of NGOs is to serve as a bridge between the authorities and the public. They must raise, examine and
analyze the public outlook on different problems, define those problems and bring them before the Government. NGOs
must embrace each and every citizen, make them participate in their work, let them see the problems of their
communities, marzes and the country. Citizens should also seek solutions to those problems and advocate for better
practices. Otherwise, they will become mere observers or critics and will not participate in public life. Meanwhile,
participation is the most important condition. Civil society will not exist without it
Susanna Vardanian, Women’s Rights Center Director
The activity of NGOs is an indispensable component of the democratization process of any country. It usually has
three directions: in step with the official structures, carrying out, particularly, consultative functions pertaining a wide
range of issues (provision of information, assistance in elaboration of legal documents, etc.); being the forerunner by
assuming some of State’s functions which the latter cannot fulfill due to different reasons (relief activities, human rights
protection, social issues); being opponents of the official power by monitoring and overseeing the fulfillment of the
State’s obligations and responsibilities.
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