Sophie Lemiére | Part 4: Gangsta to the roots – Gangsta or civil society?
The relationship between the concept of democracy and civil society is central to understanding the dynamics of the Malaysian system. The general concept of civil society goes back to antiquity as an arena between the state and the people; and took a peculiar meaning in the 1970s, an era marked by the political upheaval in Eastern Europe. Since then the concept of civil society has been prescribed as a pre-requisite for democracy and democratisation.
Civil society has become a prism through which developing countries are evaluated by international agencies: “good” or “bad” governance, or “dictatorship or democracy”. Civil society would be one of the numerous milestones to pass when achieving a complete democratisation.
The growth and vibrancy of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as a main component of civil society, is utilised as an indicator of “progress” and the “quality of the NGOs and their network” has turned into a measure to evaluate the level of democratisation. NGOs have become a gauge of good governance – or at least improved governance.
Read more here: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/285825
Part I: Gangsta to the roots – a Gangsta's paradise (http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/285492)
Part II: Gangsta to the roots – Gangsta through the years (http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/285603)
Part III: Gangsta beyond stereotypes (http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/285719)
