1. Civil society and the state
Distinction between state, economy and civil society
Cohen and Arato (1992): Civil society “as a sphere of social interaction between economy and state….. the sphere of associations (especially voluntary associations), social movements, and forms of public communication.”

2. What does the (modern) state do?
Centralization
Standardization
Efficiency

3. What does civil society do?
Representing some groups – partiality

4. The interaction between civil society and the state?
A more important factor to examine in determining when civil society activity will bolster or weaken a democratic regime ..… is the political context within which that activity unfolds. We need to shift our focus back…….from looking how social context shapes performance of political institutions to looking at the crucial role played by political institutionalization in shaping the character of civil society and its impact on political development. The most important difference between civil and uncivil polities and well-functioning and problematic democracies, I contend, is not to be found in an analysis of societal and cultural factors, but rather in an examination of political institutions (Berman, 2001: p. 37).

5. What does the state do for civil society?
Provides financial aid and personnel (to which organizations?)
Guarantees and conditions the existence of civil society
Provides legal and regulatory framework
“Civil society needs at the least a politico-legal framework that institutionalizes…….rights, freedom and the rule of law.”
‘the very state that civil society…positions itself against, enables the latter…”

6. What does the state do for civil society?
Ensures that the public sphere is open to weakly institutionalized movements
Consolidates a democratic system and institutionalizes a democratic political process
Creates effective means of communication to promote discussion and mutual understanding among different types of civil society organizations

7. Case: Interaction between cs and the political parties
Georgia

8. Different ways in which cs and the state interact
Negative
Positive
reinforcing
selective
antagonistic

9. Is the partnership between the state and cs organizations always good?
Partner with which groups?
Accountability of CS organizations
Who determines the division of labor between the state and CS?

10. What shouldn’t the state do?
Disadvantage a group

11. What shouldn’t cs do?
They should not take over their members’ lives and should not prevent them from exercising their rights and obligations of citizenship