In your reading this week, you're introduced to different
conceptualizations of civil society in the MENA region. You have read about
al-mujtama' al-ahli ('traditional' civil society), al-mujtama' al-madani
('civic' civil society), and al-mujtama' al-hajin ('hybrid' civil society). I
want you to reflect further on the issue I raise in my previous post, namely
that of authenticity and legitimacy. What does it mean for civil society actors
to be able to claim legitimacy as 'organic' parts of broader society? How could
this issue throw a wrench in the mainstream model of civil society's role in
democratization (i.e. a vibrant civil society is an important prerequisite to
democratization and functions as a 'counterweight' to the influence of the
state)?
In order for civil society to be an important prerequisite for democratization, it first must have some sort of authenticity. Then and only then, is it on the way to legitimacy. These two components are key, as they provide the power to impact change on society, and politics. Authenticity first and foremost comes from homegrown needs and desires deemed important by the community as a whole. As you noted Professor Hardig, one good example of a civic group that holds a lot of authenticity in the MENA region is Faith Based Organizations. These organizations hold roots in the foundation of Middle Eastern society, are funded by the society, and in many cases, do not conflict with the political status quo. This authenticity, in turn gives these groups legitimacy, allowing them to function and impact society as they please, as in the eyes of the people, they are pursuing the goals pursued by the broader society.
ReplyDeleteAuthenticity of civil society groups that are pro-democratization is often in question, as there is not a broad constituency of society that actively supports these groups. In addition, these groups receive western funding, which inherently removes any source of legitimacy. In order for any group to receive legitimacy, it must be both funded, and advocated for, by a broader base of society.
This is the wedge for civil society in the MENA region being a large role in democratization. The governments in place are mostly autocratic. These governments in their nature do not support pro-democracy civil society groups; this creates a challenging environment for these groups to even establish themselves. In addition to this, funding is often very scarce, unless western backed it is often nonexistent. This is because most of those able to fund these projects are active participants in maintaining the status quo that has enabled them to become wealthy individuals.
In conclusion, civil society, while quintessential to western democracies, might not be an influential factor in the democratization of the MENA region. I even might go so far as to hypothesize that democratization must manifest itself first in order to develop a functioning civil society. In essence, if a civil society does form in the MENA region it will solidify countries already on the road to democratization but won’t play an important role in the initial process.