The Role of Civil Society in Development

Javad Bahmani^*

Department of Political Sociology, Islamic Azad University of Shahreza, Iran

*Corresponding Author:

Javad Bahmani
Department of political sociology
Islamic Azad University of Shahreza, Iran
Tel: 989131093121
E-mail: javadbahmanistu@gmail.com

Received Date: September 10, 2016; Accepted Date: November 02, 2016; Published Date: November 09, 2016

Citation: Bahmani J (2016) The Role of Civil Society in Development. J Civil Legal Sci 5:215. doi: 10.4172/2169-0170.1000215

Copyright: © 2016 Bahmani J. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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Abstract

Forming and spreading of civil society shows the solidarity and maneuvering of society to authoritarians, so according to the origin of the civil society, means public, demands of their society was shown by civil society in a nonviolent and organized way in a way that deviation of authoritarians from interests of society and country was quickly reacted by civil society. This process makes the government be accountable to the people and be able to convince society for their decisions. The most important movement of civil society was development of the society because public interests were important.

Keywords

Civil society; Development; Modernity; Violence

Introduction

Development is one of the most important pillars of country’s development. So it is important that development is examining. Economic, political, cultural and comprehensive development needs comprehensive planning. In comprehensive development, based on observed experience countries with the largest coordination to the community bodies, civil society have been successful. Because civil society is direct supervisory power of the people on the rulers and authority’s performance and gain their power by people’s integration and movement. That is why the civil society moved toward organizing and distribution. Guilds, parties, media, trade unions and any group of people who are engaged in giving service, turned in to intervening group in government’s performance and decisions. So that if decision is harmful, they do something like: demonstration, strike and which are civil activities and express their demands avoid conflict and remain on their positions as far as being convinced. This process is more powerful than controlling the different sings such as: parliamentary oversight, inspection organizations and involve society to the participation in political and social affairs. In countries were the position of people and civil society have been respected in the constitution in the framework of maintaining the legal freedoms and people’s fundamental rights, the rate of development and reducing corruption is more obvious than the countries were constitution hasn’t been respected. This guarantees one of the most basic foundations of development.

Overview

Overview: This research contains a central question:

If civil society has a promoting role in country’s development?

Theories:

Civil society raises the awareness in the country.

Civil society has an essential role in harnessing the power.

Civil society promotes the development in the country.

Sub questions:

Is the constitution strengthen the civil society? If the continuity of civil society needs to raise awareness?

Is sovereignty of any country effected by the demands of civil society?

In conducted researches someone like “Nira Chandok” professor of Delhi University, India in book of: civil society and government discussed somewhat interaction of these two roles which of course talked about civil society partially. Some books and researches are provided by Dr. “Tohidfam” [1], “Boshruyeh” and “Son Erics Lidman” in this field but the vital role of civil society is less important. The necessity of discussion and investigation in this case, end of controlling the powers should be evaluated in all of the world as long as armed forces are government’s vains and minimal use of violent force can be taken from the power and governments follow a certain framework in this area. That public demand of civil social can be achieved.

The Oretical Look to the Civil Society

Definition of civil society

Some people consider the civil society as a presence of people out of private sphere means their home and entering to the community and its functions.

Some people believes that, a set of civil society is included active presence of people in different communities in society which impact the society any way.

Some people consider civil society as public institutions and organizations trade union etc., that each of human includes a number of individuals in the general population and have a corporate, political, social and cultural aspects of the society.

Another definition of civil society, consists of people who makes groups and associations based on their will and chose and independent of the government and purpose of establishment of such groups is improving the favorites and interests of the members (civil society, Ghasem Karbasian).

Eighteen century can be considered as an important period in the event of democratic governments and civil society. In this period universality of human rights was presented which moved into the realm of civility at the same time with French revolution and concept of citizenship (rights and responsibilities associated with it) was particularly important.

Formation of civil society

In the second half of eighteen century was made in civil society and government which was customary at that time and civil society was introduced as an independent sphere from government and was erupted in “Tom Piene” – “Adam Smith” (1723 -1790) and “Adam Fergusson” –“John Lock” (1635-1704) and a new concept in detail of civil society was described by: Hegel (1770 -1831). The concept of civil society was revived by: “Anthonio Gramsci” in the early twentieth century while it was superseded in the second half of nineteenth century and in 70s and 80s as well as developments of Central and Eastern Europe, a new life was breathed into the concept of civil society and it was emerged as a reaction against “totalitarianism” especially socialist totalitarian regimes. “Thomas Hobbes” (1588-1679) and “Karl Marks (1818-1883) can be noted as the other experts who have commented about social society.

The Impacts of Civil Society

Regarding of civil society in western thoughts can be classified into two groups: before modernity and after modernity.

Before modernity

Not only it doesn’t recognized in opposed to the government, but also consistency of civil society was based on the state and state was its inevitable part. This meaning is obvious in “Lock”, “Rousseau” and “Immanuel Kant’s” researches (1724-1804).

In Hegel’s view civil society is against the states and includes all of the areas which are reminded after determining and analyzing of the state’s area. Civil society in contrast to the state refers to the social relations areas which are free from interference of political powers and includes a group of institutions and organizations, and pressure groups considering private and civil (non-private) aspects.

Civil society is social relations area and government is political relations area [2].

Civil society in this concept, is in order to prove the utility of realm, freedom of individual rights and some limitations for government (a definition which is referred by author of the research). Government is trying to control or limit process or political actions by drawing political boundaries but civil society seeks an accountable government which respects the citizen’s rights. Don’t limit the freedom and law is dominant in society. Based on that, civil society is one of the characteristics of democratic societies. Values such as political participation, government accountability and political generalizing are followed by civil society without the support of expression freedom rights which is recognized and enforceable, freedom of assembly, freedom of idea and thought public opinions of civil society will gradually disappear [3,4].

Non-civil status doesn’t only depend on to the government’s induced policies, but also the people who aren’t still extended to the citizens, accept it and tolerate.

As popular culture can be healthy or unhealthy, political culture can also be based on political, mutual respect and trust, participation and rational dealing with the others political opinions and impressions in this situation it can be called as a healthy political culture or intolerance, disrespect to the others political opinions and tendencies, intimate and destructive encounters in political spheres or in the other words, it is called unhealthy political culture

Development and Influence of Civil Society on it

As it is proposed in development, in the past development was considered unidimensional with a look on economy, politics and culture but today it is considered as an all-round thing [5].

Close relationship and proximity among countries and cultures and moving toward globalization, the impact of a country’s lack of development becomes more obvious and more visible on the other countries. If development consider with assumption of growth in economy, which is included increased percapita income and GDP and make policies such as: pluralism, tolerance of, freedom of expression, culture of development and consolidation of cultural principles and opening the cultural atmosphere in cinema, music, writing by posing this question that: if the practical ways of the countries which have been achieved to these assumptions can be repeated? The answer is no but most of these ways are applicable in any country provided that some changes are made in accordance with cultural, social, economical and political conditions of those countries. When the development of civil society in any country is depended on that country’s law and constitution, allowance of civil society’s entrance (involvement) and applying for optimizing the executive procedures and planning by that needs stabilize and development of civil society [6,7]. Out of this preconditions, supposing that the conditions are prepare for civil society activities. What is the impact of this supposing in development as a result of relying on public opinion and abdication of power to those who are state’s symbols –judiciary power- on behalf of society, a two –pronged approach is acceptable that means on one hand society gives enough authority to the executive forces in order to enforce the laws which are legislated in accordance to public demands, advance the country and all-round development and on the other hand, executive power relying on civil society, evaluate its deviance and its performance which are conflict with public demand and reform it in favor of public demand. In this stage, civil society plays its very important role and prevent from deviating and challenging the interests of the society and puts it on the truck. Civil society is receptive the representative of its nation public and correct by lateral and multilateral talks and settle the problems through rational way and aside obstacles the developments in every field.

Conclusion

Dynamics of the civil society in countries which have civil society and legal support and let the countries and authorities take over the administration temporarily and in its way, laws and executive procedures and do anything out of interests of society or country. Timely response of the civil society includes parties and press prevent from growing the corruption and improve the country’s movement toward all-round development. If the development is not based on national interests or its trend jeopardize the national interests, independent civil society will prevent it by taking actions.

References

1. Mohammad T (2002) State and democracy in the age of globalization.
2. Boshruyeh H (2000) Sociology. Ney publish.
3. Azghadi A (2013) Introduction to the sociology of Iran. Ghos publish.
4. Chanderk N (2002) Civil Society and government.
5. Bahmani J (2015) State in the modern Era. Sokhanvaran publish.
6. Maley W (2012) Challenges of political development Afghanistan: Mass, Elite and Institutional Dimensions.
7. Afshin K (2013) Civil society history theories and comparative, Translator. National and cultural publish.

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