Concept

One of the issues that that have come to the fore in the context of Civil Society is the importance of "intermediate" or voluntary groups that often occur naturally in society, and where perhaps civility may be more easily learned, and where the multiplicity of choices encourages human creativity and freedom. Political scientist Michael Walzer emphasizes the value of “the set of relational networks- formed for the sake of family, faith, interest, and ideology... The picture here is of people freely associating and communicating with one another, forming and reforming groups of all sorts.”[1] Walzer is one of the leading commentators on intermediate organization issues and he credits[2] Adam Ferguson with initiating the flavor of this discussion:

Prior to any political institution whatever, men are qualified by a great diversity of talents, by a different tone of the soul, and ardour of the passions, to act a variety of parts. Bring them together, each will find his place... and numbers are by this means fitted to act in company, and to preserve their communities, before any formal distribution of office is made.[3]

Societies of Friends of the Nation

An important historical group of associations occurred in Spain. Xavier María de Munibe (1723-1785), the Count of Peñaflorida, had studied experimental physics and mathematics,[5] and he dedicated himself to the application of the sciences to economic development. In 1763, with a few of his friends, he founded the Royal Basque Society of Friends of the Country. The society concentrated on improving agricultural and industrial practices through studies, publications, and contests.[6] Following this example, and ecouraged by King Charles III, similar societies were established in the rest of the Spanish country and in its colonies, some of which are still functioning. [7] In the more current democratic context, industrialists and intellectuals have replaced the roles of the noblemen. Another example of this type of organization that is very active is  Economic Society of Friends of the Nation of Barcelona

Educational Organizations

Educational Institutions, public and private, are an essential element of Civil Society. They are a primary source in developing social consciousnes as educator John Bascom reflects:

In addition to its cultutral and social value, a college degree is the most important resource in obtaining employment.

Common Aid Societies

The are a number of organizations that provide mutual aid for groups. One such type of organizations that we have selected as examples is what came to be known as "Settlement Houses". They developed principally in England and the United States towards the end of the XIX century. The consisted of buildings in poor neighborhoods where social services and training were provided for the purpose of improving the conditions of residents of the neighborhood, frequently with the cooperation of a nearby university. Some members of the associated university faculty and graduate students would often move into the house to facilitate their work and research. Chicago Commons, founded in 1894, was a good historical example of a Settlement House and it is still functioning.  It no longer has a residence component, but it continues to provide some of its original services such as community building, early childhood education and career training.

If we desire improvement, we must look for it outside of economic forces, in social and moral relations... The labor movement is such a union of economic and social forces. It gives a firmer foothold in wages, and slowly attains a standard of life which makes operative the ambitions of life.[9]

Many unions support apprenticeship programs that allow individuals to develop employable skills, such as those provided by the Carpenters Training Institute, and others.

Churches

Churches are perhaps the most influential elements of a civil society. Pope Francis provides a good example of social exhortation:

The Gospel tells us constantly to run the risk of a face-to-face encounter with others, with their physical presence which challenges us, with their pain and their pleas, with their joy which infects us in our close and continuous interaction... inseparable from self-giving, from membership in the community, from service, from reconciliation with others. [8]

Dagoberto Valdés and his collaborators have made interesting contributions to the interpretation of the role of churches in this context :

Civic Organizations

There are organizations, which we may call civic organizations, that have the conscious purpose of applying civil society principles.  The Convivencia Center is a good example of this. Lead by Dagoberto Valdés, it proposes the use of these principles to address the complex social issues of Cuba. Through educational activities and other efforts, this group tries to develop civic awareness, and to foster group activities:

An ethical and civic education for public life can develop fraternal and positive citizens, ensuring the conviction that we are all brothers and sisters and therefore perfectible, fragile, and subject to errors and limitations. Civic friendship... teaches how to take care of all citizens, to place their life and dignity as a supreme value; to contribute to the prosperity of the nation, and to learn to practice subsidiarity and solidarity with the most vulnerable, seeking the possible personal happiness and the reachable common good.[12]