Open access
THE IDEA OF A CIVIL SOCIETY VERSUS A COUNTRY AND CITIZENS
Edward KAROLCZUK1
Transformations of Man and Society: Ideas, Perspectives
Publication language: Polish
Journal article
Transformations No. 1-2 (84-85) 2015, Publication date: 4 May 2015
Keywords: civil society, general public, democracy, sovereignty of the people, state
Abstract The idea of a civil society is strongly connected with a crisis of the feudal system and the beginning of the capitalist economy. A civil society usually prefers democracy and rebels against the country. However, in order to analyse modern societies influenced by neoliberalism and globalisation, one should not look at them from this point of view. The idea of a civil society is used by many political groups. Interests and opinions of a civil society are not the same as the ones of the general public; they may undermine the basic principle of democracy, i.e. the principleof popular sovereignty. Some organizations belonging to a civil society are directly financed by particular countries and try to achieve their goals. Neoliberals use the idea of a civil society to limit the social functions of a country.
Regionalny Ośrodek Doskonalenia Nauczycieli i Informacji Pedagogicznej „WOM” w Rybniku
E-mail: edward.karolczuk@gmail.com