Despite the fact that during the recent Hungarian plebiscite regarding the country's accession to the European Union (EU) 83.76 per cent of the votes were in favour of joining the EU, the low election turnout of only 44.13 per cent of all Hungarians entitled to vote was considered "shameful"; an important political and economic decision has been taken with the official approval of only two fifth of the eight million Hungarians with voting rights.1 This and other somewhat disappointing examples raise the question of how committed Eastern Europeans are in terms of forging their own post-communist future. This paper will attempt to analyse the role civil society has played in the democratisation process of the region since 1989. As effects can generally only be properly assessed with a mid- or even long-term perspective, looking at isolated events, which took place during the last slightly more than thirteen years, does not suffice to come to a reliable conclusion about the strength or weakness of civil society. For this reason, I will focus in my analysis on tendencies and their possible historical explanation; where possible, survey data will be provided which should facilitate a broader understanding of current trends. Since - due to the individual countries’ very distinct historical characteristics - in many instances it does not seem appropriate to evaluate "Eastern European civil societies" as a whole, I will adopt Attila Ágh’s model differentiating at times between "East Central European (ECE) civil society" (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia) and "the Balkans civil society" (Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia) taking into consideration regional similarities (Ágh, 1998: 5). The structure of this paper will be as follows: Firstly, I will look at the concepts of civil society in general, post-communist civil society in particular as well as democratisation in Eastern Europe. This will be followed by an examination of two areas, which tend to be closely associated with civil society: the strength of civic associations in terms of density and intensity as well as the relationship between civic associations and political institutions; the second area includes an evaluation of the concept of trust. Lastly, I will offer a general judgement as to whether I think that the civil society of the region can rightly be considered "the great disappointment of post-communist democratisation".
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Civil Society, Post-communist Civil Society, and Democratisation
3. Civic Associations and their Relationship with the State
4. Conclusions: Civil Society - the Great Disappointment of Post-communist Democratisation?
Objectives and Topics
This paper analyzes the role of civil society within the democratisation process of Eastern Europe since 1989, examining the historical, institutional, and cultural factors that influence the perceived strength or weakness of civic life in the region.
- The conceptual framework of civil society and democratisation in post-communist states.
- The impact of communist legacies on current levels of political participation and trust.
- The efficacy and donor-dependency of formal non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
- The relationship between civic associations and political institutions regarding democratic culture.
- A comparative evaluation of democratic development across East Central Europe and the Balkans.
Excerpt from the Book
Civil Society, Post-communist Civil Society, and Democratisation
As outlined in the introduction, the first section of this paper will deal with the concepts of civil society, post-communist civil society as well as democratisation in Eastern Europe. Generally speaking, civil society is neither defined the same way nor given the same importance in the relevant literature. Some authors, such as Derleth, argue that civil society is not discussed much in United States because its existence is simply taken for granted (Derleth, 2000: 4). In contrast, Carothers states that civil society everywhere is a "bewildering array of the good, the bad, and the outright bizarre" (Carothers, 1999-2000: 20). However, a more balanced and informative definition - such as the following - seems more helpful for the purpose of this essay:
By civil society we refer to that arena of the polity where self-organizing groups, movements, and individuals, relatively autonomous from the state, attempt to articulate values, create associations and solidarities, and advance their interests (Linz and Stepan: 1996: 7).
Hence civil society consists of organised citizens operating somewhere between the state on the one hand and the realm of the family on the other. Nevertheless, an important connection with the state exists as civil society is also expected to participate in policy formulation, help with policy implementation and lobby activities (Kopecký et al., 2003: 8). Although civil society groups do not aim to occupy the role of the state, they hold the crucial function of supporting and monitoring it by providing checks and balances against power misuse. This intense cooperation between state and citizens was however by no means possible under communist regimes in Eastern Europe, and even after the demise of communism, the apparently much weaker forms of civil society that have emerged - if at all - have usually been perceived as acting rather in opposition to the state (Bideleux and Jeffries, 1998: 18). Whereas in the West cooperation and consensual relations between civil society and the state prevail, the East generally carries the stigma of combative and antagonistic relations.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the research context, outlines the regional focus on Eastern Europe post-1989, and justifies the methodological approach of using country-specific models to evaluate civil society.
2. Civil Society, Post-communist Civil Society, and Democratisation: This section defines the core concepts of civil society and democratisation, addressing the challenges of the communist legacy and the "institutionalised lie" on current civic participation.
3. Civic Associations and their Relationship with the State: This chapter examines the density and intensity of civic organizations, the influence of informal social networks, and the prevalence of donor-driven NGO models versus grassroots initiatives.
4. Conclusions: Civil Society - the Great Disappointment of Post-communist Democratisation?: The final chapter synthesizes the evidence to argue that while disappointment is widespread, the democratisation process remains a complex "work in progress" dependent on the synergy between state institutions and societal democratic culture.
Keywords
Civil Society, Democratisation, Post-communism, Eastern Europe, Civic Associations, Political Participation, Democratic Culture, Trust, Social Capital, NGO, Corruption, Institutional Reform, Civic Apathy, Transition, Political Institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this research paper?
The paper aims to assess whether civil society in post-communist Eastern Europe can be objectively characterized as a "great disappointment" regarding the region's democratisation.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The work centers on the definition of civil society, the impact of historical communist legacies on social behavior, the role of civic associations, and the interplay between government institutions and democratic culture.
How is the term "civil society" defined in this study?
It is defined as the arena of the polity where self-organizing, relatively autonomous groups and individuals articulate values, create solidarities, and advance interests outside the state and family structures.
What research methods were utilized?
The study employs a comparative analysis of regional tendencies, integrating survey data and existing scholarly literature to evaluate trends in democratic development.
What does the main body of the text cover?
It covers the conceptual framework of transition, the role of civic organizations and NGOs, the influence of social capital, and the persistent issues of trust, corruption, and leadership in Eastern European states.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include civil society, post-communist democratisation, civic participation, democratic culture, social capital, and political trust.
How do informal social networks influence civil society in the region?
Informal networks established during communism often remain stronger than formal NGOs, though they are sometimes seen as a "pseudo-existence" of civil society that lacks formal political influence.
Why does the author suggest that Western-style NGOs might be problematic?
The author points out that many NGOs are donor-dependent and elite-driven, which raises questions about whether they represent genuine grassroots initiatives or reflect a disconnect from local needs.
What is the relationship between political trust and institutional effectiveness?
The paper argues that low levels of trust in political institutions create a vicious cycle that prevents effective governance and hinders the consolidation of a stable democracy.
Does the author conclude that civil society has failed?
No, the author concludes that while idealistic hopes were high and have met with disappointment, the process is a long-term "work in progress" that requires active, constructive communication between citizens and the state.
- Citar trabajo
- Iris Schoenauer-Alvaro (Autor), 2003, Political experiments in Eastern Europe: Civil society, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/112834
