of Armin King
The concept of civil society in the late 1990s, a handy been buzzword in the political debate introduced. The bulky word participation is clear, equitable participation of citizens in decision making, active, vibrant democracy, freedom of political self-organization, formation of social capital as elements of civil society, cleverly combined to pack increasing demands on the citizens elegant.
Civil society is regarded as a reform model (Bogumil, Holtkamp, black; King 2009) , but look like they should be defined differently. That the model has significant social importance, even demonstrate the statistical surveys: More than 22 million people involved in voluntary work in Germany organizations in clubs, churches, trade unions, NGOs. This is a huge potential. Volunteering would be spared the state adorn the payment of billions of hours, the financial to otherwise difficult. Since the beginning of the millennium, there are greater challenges in business, for-anced by the Bertelsmann Foundation and other "reform institutions" to activate citizens more closely, in order to reduce the state while in its tasks. Had the citizens' awareness of such voluntary payments to activate, the economy and relieves the state and taxpayers are exempt from transfer payments. This sounds cynical, is by economic agents, the FDP and even of a philosopher such as Peter Sloterdijk represented today offensively.
But the liberal economic variant is not the only way to define civil society. The representatives of the Christian social teaching, for example, represent a different value system, a different attitude to the role of the preventive state and a different basic understanding of solidarity actions in a fair society. It is a fundamentally different society design. Civil society is only a Bertelsmann project, sponsored by the pioneers like Werner Weidenfeld, there is an alternative to the paternalistic welfare state, a "third way" as defined by Anthony Giddens? Or is the modern way of Social policy, in which the citizens are not bystanders but active and participatory democrats are important?
social policy such as Alois good for 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 thus 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, but not by the economy, but to make the society is. "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) according to Walter's view be delegated. Citizens in particular to be more active. Walter wants "more creative and venturesome spirits" (112), who are willing to take responsibility, but also give "true partnership in many areas, particularly in marriage, in support of families, children, social protection, the whole to secure 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) relieves financially. "Civic engagement is to solve critical societal problems "(50). Target is a "participatory welfare state" is. (50)
Heiner Geissler is the counterpoint: ". The total economization of all spheres of life is the counter-proposal to civilian civil society" (117) As long as politics and economy are ready to "find [to be] with a so-called precariat down" (115 ), so long the civil society is 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 a duty to which . To help those in need "(117)
Rüdiger May describes the conditions and criteria of political participation:" Without participation, democracy an empty, formal envelope that goes to the living reality of the people is over. " (199) as the negative factors described May the "lack of organization possibilities today Partizipationsmög" (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 difficult communication, although this is a key to participation ". Political communication remains the potential for Participate in an alien 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 the Policy to teach economics, culture and science (212-213) and a switching offensive to the citizens of the functioning of state and society. She also called on political communication "less rhetorical, (...), but concrete" (213) are.
The most important recommendation: "The scheme works must be simple, understandable and the citizens are catchy (even at the cost of lesser individual justice) to understand he needs content to participate if it is." (213)
Warnfried Dettling, of the pioneers of Civil society has a new mission statement calls for the holistic view of local governance, in which "the Citizens are more involved "(222) and in the" changes the social culture of a society (222). In addition, Germany needed "more civil society to people to share beyond the employment of the Company and join social tasks with meaningful activities can be." (222) The civil society needs to find an answer "to the new social question, the division of society to prevent economic and social marginalization of many people. "(223) Here comes full circle with the social policy makers.
civil society is considered by Olk and less than demanding cross-cutting issue: "This is civil commitment not to the individual, donating time and money 'reduced, but identified as a complex of civil society orientation and conduct, both at the level of individuals (assumption of responsibility, co-action and co-decision, donating time and money etc.) and at the level of organizations (entering into partnerships, systematic involvement of civil society action logic in models, opening of organizational structures and handling procedures for civil society contributions, etc.) and even in other forms of governance (participation open forms of negotiation of goals rather than hierarchical control) expressed can come. " (25-26) may be hidden behind a lot of wishful thinking. Empirically, this can be confirmed so far in this form and to this extent.
is critical to encouraging "civil society as Bertelsmann project" (265) addressed by Rudolph Bauer. Sun attacked Bauer's elitist view of the Bertelsmann Foundation as paradoxical (265): "Having a civil society organization, its representatives to promote civic engagement written on their banners, the genuine concerns of civil society undermines the interests of an elite civil project. (265)
not Enough, "A nonprofit organization to use its privileged access to the media to demand a business-friendly economic and fiscal policy with the aim of limiting the state in its social and political opportunities for action, which in turn is to be offset by increased civic engagement. " (265)
Bauer Bertelsmann raises more or less openly in front to push through under the guise of a non-governmental non-profit organization, private sector interests. The Foundation was calling for "less government". At the same time try a subsidiary of the Group, on which the Foundation hold the majority "of public service tasks Everything organized and profitable to operate in private business director. "(265) This action by the Bertelsmann Foundation, runs the risk that those concerns would be thwarted," associated with the original normative concept of civil society. " (265) farm called names such as Liz Mohn, Werner Weidenfeld, Gunter Thielen, Heribert Meffert and Dieter H. Vogel, thus ensuring for the purposes of civil society for transparency in terms of interests, motives, goals, strategies and linkages. It is important that citizens know this.
farmer understands his contribution, not least as a challenge, he concluded, "the work of the Bertelsmann Foundation and examined by her financially dependent Centres (CAP, CHE, CKM) and the role of the Bertelsmann media and other business activities of the Group Scientific and influence of the complex "system Bertelsmann" in the development of civil society to monitor critical. "( Bauer 2009: 288)
really this critical assessment, so it remains a piece of the puzzle in the big picture of participatory governance in civil society.
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