Civil Society

What is Civil Society?

CS

can be defined as the sphere of institutions,

organizations and individuals located between
the family, state and market, in which people
associate voluntarily to advance common
interests.
Diamond: the realm of organized social life
that is voluntary, self-generating, [largely] selfsupporting, and autonomous from the state, and
bound by a legal order or set of shared values.

What is Civil Society?

The

third sector, besides the state, and the

private sector.
CS includes a vast array of formal and informal
voluntary associations.
CS as the space/intermediary between the
family and the state.
Not CS: individual/family life; Organizations
meant for recreation, entertainment or
spirituality; profit-making ventures; political
parties.

Civil society vs. Interest group

Civil society

Interest group

volunteering and volunteer groups and Interest groups are groups that lobby
referred to as the "third sector" of society
Congress to enact legislation/ policy (laws)
favourable to them, to promote their specific
causes and interests.

Civil society is the arena outside of the

family, the state, and the market where
people associate to advance common
interests.e.g. he freedom of speech, an
independent judiciary, that make up a
democratic society

An interest group is an organization of

people with similar policy goals who enter
the political process to try to achieve those
aims. A group of persons working on behalf
of or strongly supporting a particular cause,
such as an item of legislation, and others

 Table

1: Categories of Civil Society Organisation in

Malaysia

Religious
Social welfare
Social/recreational
Women
Culture
Mutual benefit
Trade
Sport
Youth
Educational
Political
Employment
General

Total
Source NSTP, 2007.

National
7, 203
5,629
6,158
372
1,716
2,121
3,360
3,226
3,157
367
46
1, 104
7,100

State
1,400
1,533
567
1,142
1,428
8
767
379
6,421
171
51,129
515
2,247

Total
8,603
7,162
6,725
1,514
3,144
2,129
4,127
3,605
9,578
538
51,175
1,619
9,347

41,559

67,707

109,266

 Interest

groups serve themselves, civil

society serves all of society

Characteristics of Civil Society

Characteristics

of CS, according to Diamond:

1.1. Voluntary and Autonomous. Members
participate voluntarily. Organizations are
independent of, but protected by, the state.

Characteristics of Civil Society

2.

3.

2. Public Ends. Concerned with public

ends, by defending collective rights and
values, disseminate public knowledge and
ideas, pursue policies that promote the
quality of life.
3. Pluralism and Diversity. Groups
organize and compete freely and no one
group is able to dominate.

Characteristics of Civil Society

4.

5.

3. Partial and Non-Holistic. Organizations

represent only a/some part/s of the
community interests.
4. Link with the State. CS participate in
the political system in various ways. CS
needs the state to frame the environment in
which it operates. Yet, CS must keep a
distance from the state.

Characteristics of Civil Society

6.

5. Civility. Courtesy, good manners and

respect for the dignity of fellow members
of society. Recognition of the right of the
other. The fundamental virtue of civil
society.

Civil Society and Democracy

1.

Does civil society lead to democracy?

What is the role of CS in a democracy?
CS contribute to the effectiveness and stability
of democracy in many ways:
1. CS instill in their members the spirit of
collaboration. Almond and Verba: members of
associations displayed more political
sophistication, social trust, political participation
and subjective civic competence.

Civil Society and Democracy

2.

3.

4.

2. CS also provides public informational

activities. CS plays an important role of
forming public opinion.
3. CS acts as an instrument for containing the
power of the government and check their
potential abuses and violations of the law.
4. CS provides the link between the people
and government. CS represents the diverse
and conflicting interests of the citizens.

Civil Society and Democracy

-Some

CS would suffer decline when it does not

bridge but perpetuates societal cleavages. Some
CS has also indulges in immoral activities [e.g.,
bribery].
Role of the state? The state must act as a referee.
But some state has resorted to autocratic measures.
CS has a major role in promoting, maintaining and
consolidating democracy.

civil society is a necessary but not sufficient

condition for the consolidation of democracy.
In a multi-ethnic society, cs can also act as a
polarising force.

 Not

all CSOs actively promote democratisation.

Malaysian CSOs come in a confusing array of
manifestationsfrom academic and professional
groups to grassroots groups, business-oriented
groups, charity organisations, and, most of all,
ethnic and religious groups.
Many CSOs have avoided political activities,
choosing to concentrate on running specific
activities for their members or on delivering social
welfare services in line with a more traditional
conception of charity.

 -this

prevents the development of interethnic CSOs that transcend ethnic issues.

-reform the unnecessarily restrictive
legislation, including the Societies Act and
the ISA.

Civil society in Islam

Is

an effective social group to counteract tyrant

government. But in Islam there is argument
that Civil society is not suitable to Islamic
norm.
-Islam is not against civil society that meets
certain requirements
1. It centered around the axis of Islamic
thinking and culture. Personal and group
dictatorship is not allowed.

 2.

Respect for human rights.

3. Must not contrary to the teaching of Islam
4. Must include norms such as equality,
participation ,tolerance and political inclusion
and individual happiness as objectives of the
civil society.
-There are various examples of civil society in
Islamic history. E.g tribal structure that
becomes intermediary between individual and
government. Other groups constitute ulama
group, professional movement, the mosque