Effects of a Global Civil Society on Global Governance

Hii Dunia has in the past written extensively on the convergence of Civil Society and global governance.

Here we summarise with reference to the work of Jan Aart Scholte some of the main effects that the presence of Civil groups within global democratic structures can have.

Many high profile NGOs are based in close relation to governance apparatus. Because of the perceived changing nature of governance structures civil society organisations have shifted much o f their emphasis from the local (national governments) to supra national organisations.

Most writers acknowledge that there are both positive ways in which inter connected civil movements can act on a global scale, and negativities that may arise as a result of this. Jan Aart Scholte (left) a leading writer on Civil Society and Globalization, writing in his paper ‘Civil society and democracy in global governance’, identifies six possible contributions global civil society can make to a global discourse, as well as acknowledging some negative outcomes. It is perhaps useful to highlight Scholte’s main points in order to be able to critique them against existing transnational organisations and their democratic credentials.

• First Scholte identifies that civil society might enhance democracy in global governance through public education activities. He thinks that for democracy to be effective it must rely upon informed citizenry. Mass media right down to presentations and leaflets for schools and universities play a role.

• Giving a voice to stakeholders is, Scholte argues, a means by which civil society can pass on ideas and information from the lowest levels and those less empowered to government and trans-governmental agencies.

• The very intervention and presence of civil society fuels the debate about global governance and more diverse subjects are discussed and discussions about policy have become more critical.

• Scholte also argues that the involvement of civil society can increase the transparency of global governance. Many citizens are often not aware of which decisions are taken at the global level.

• Civil society can also hold to account such agencies as the IMF and the World Bank which otherwise may not be directly accountable to any citizens. Through an accountability function civil society can push authorities in global governance to take greater responsibility for their actions and policies.

• The final point Scholte makes is that of legitimacy. He argues that legitimate rule occurs when people acknowledge that an authority has a right to govern and that they have a duty to obey its directives.

For many of these positive outcomes to be achieved it seems that Civil societies such as NGOs need to have a sufficient amount of resources to be made available.

The growing acknowledgement that an emerging layer of government is forming because of the globalisation of politics has also led to the stark realisation that unfortunately the ordinary citizen has little or no way of controlling and influencing it. As Scholte argues;

“On the whole, current arrangements to regulate global communications, global ecology, global markets, global money and finance, global organisations and global production rest – at best- on the thinnest consent of the affected publics.”


Links & Resources:

Hii Dunia - Articles on Global Governance and Civil Society

openDemocracy - An interesting in-depth article on com contemporary Global Civil Society and it's relationship with the anti globalisation movement

London School of Economics - Homepage of the Centre for the Study of Global Governance

Warwick University - Profile of Jan Aart Scholte