Dettling, Daniel (ed.): The future of civil society. Festschrift for Warnfried Dettling. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften 2008th 233 pages. € 39,90.
reviewed by Armin queens g
Daniel Dettling has a commemorative 65th Birthday Warnfried published Dettling, discuss controversial in the prominent authors on the understanding of an active civil society in a time of global transformation.
advocate the one hand, social policy, such as Alois luck a "basic political strategy in terms of a new balanced community of shared responsibility between citizens and government" (85). A strong state is to guarantee stability and ability to act and set the framework for the social life, economy, politics and active citizen participation. This is a plea against a "retreat of the state alone to its purely sovereign functions" (86).
other hand, see Werner Weidenfeld and Norbert Walter, the economy no longer in the old regulatory framework of the social market economy and so that the responsibility for civil society. Above all, Walter will be a new economic development opportunities by freeing the company of loads. The German form of corporatism as an economic system has "led to dead ends." (112) How are the environmental, economic, social and demographic challenges of the 21st Century, most do not. A new economic order with the elements of competition, performance and participation should bring a boost. 'The inclusion of as many with their potential "(112) is therefore a central Task was to make but not the economy, but by society. "The conditions for such a participatory and performance-oriented society are beyond the economic." (112) The aim is to Anglo-Saxon market economy. That it would demonized in Germany, prevent that "the world's leading exporter from the talents of the virtuoso use markets. Instead of banishing shareholder value or private equity, we should develop them, "says Walter. (112-113)
subsidiarity in the sense of environmental and social sustainability and in such good agreement with the Catholic social doctrine "(113) will be delegated to Walters view. Citizens in particular to be more active. Walter wants "more creative and venturesome spirits" (112), who are willing to take responsibility, but also "true partnership in many areas, particularly in marriage, to the greening ;.'S REASONS grant of families, the children of social protection, back up the whole, education and social character "(112)
Weidenfeld sees in civil society the chance that government and industry through civic participation, self-help, everyday solidarity and volunteer [s] commitment "(50) are relieved financially. "Civic engagement should help to solve critical social problems" (50). Target is a "participatory welfare state" is. 50)
Heiner Geissler is the counterpoint: (117) As long as politics and business are ready. "The total economization of all spheres of life of the counter-proposal to civilian society," "is [To] with a so-called precariat find from (115), as long as civil society remains a utopia. "A civil society requires that policies, Government and industry are based on an ethical foundation, that is the absolute respect for human dignity for all is and all have the duty to help those who in need. "(117)
Rüdiger May describes the conditions and criteria of political participation:" Without participation, democracy is an empty, formal envelope which goes to the living reality of the people over, " . (199) Negative factors describes May the "lack of organization of today's opportunities for participation" (200), the "lack of role models" (202), "[u] nvollständiges knowledge and lack of interest (203 ) and lack of time, the persistence of mandate holders and their place advantage over novices, in the "special language of politicians" (210) and the difficulty of communication, although this is a key to participation was: "Political communication is for potential Participate in a foreign world." (212) If participation is an "essential element of the functioning of democracy" (212) should be democracy must be changed. These include the breaking up encrusted structures in institutions, rights, below the threshold of a formal membership "(212), another person selected by new" open selection processes "(212) in politics which assume that role models and encourage the participation "(212), could an exchange of personnel (in time) of politics by economics, culture and science (212-213) and a mediation initiative to teach citizens the functioning of government and society. She also called on political communication "less rhetorical, (...), but concrete" (213) are. The most important recommendation: "The scheme works have simple, understandable, and the citizens are catchy (even at the cost of lesser individual justice), he must understand the content if it is to participate." (213)
Warnfried Dettling, one of the pioneers of the civil society requires a new Model with the holistic view of local governance, in which "citizens are more involved" (222) and is changed into the "social culture of a society (222). In addition, Germany needed "more civil society to people to share beyond the employment at the company and connect with meaningful activities, community projects can be." (222) The civil society must find an answer "to the new social question, the division of society and social exclusion prevent many people. "(223) Here comes full circle with the social policy makers. The conflicting positions of the authors show that even intensive discussions on the "state of civil society, the economy in civil society and strong citizen in a strong democracy in the sense Benjamin Barber is leading to. The pamphlet with their sometimes very pointed, and thoroughly readable, provides contributions to a variety of suggestions.
(c) 2010 Armin King
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