JOURNAL of GEOGRAPHY, POLITICS AND SOCIETY

Journal of Geography, Politics and Society,
ISSN 2084-0497
Year I, no. 2, December 2011
[email protected]
COM PARATIVE INSIG H T INTO DEVELOPM ENT OF
T H E CIVIC SO CIETY IN T H E V ISEG R AD REGION
L ucia MOKRA
C o m e n iu s U niversity in B ratislav a, F a c u lty of Social a n d Econom ic
Sciences, M lynske lu h y c. 4
821 05 B ratislava; T he Slovak Republic
E-m ail: lucia.m o k ra@ fses.u n ib a.sk
T atian a TOKOLYOVA
C o m e n iu s U niversity in B ratislava, F a c u lty of Social a n d Econom ic
Sciences, M lynske lu h y c. 4
821 05 B ratislava; T he Slovak Republic
E-m ail:tokolyova. fses@ gm ail.com
Summary: “M odern society w as form ed in th e age of g re a t
rev o lu tio n s w hich, on one h a n d gave a b irth to a relatively
a u to n o m o u s individual, a n d on th e o th er h a n d to w hole in te g ral
s tru c tu re of m o d ern social sy ste m (Keller 2004). T he te rm of civic
society its e lf m ay n o t be a n aly sed via co m p ariso n of a n tin o m ie s or
different u n d e rs ta n d in g s in th e fram ew ork of ideological sp e ctru m .
Its u n d e rs ta n d in g in th e b ack g ro u n d of its h isto ric a l a n d
p hilo so p h ical developm ent is e s se n tia l b e c a u s e of th e com plexity of
th e existing societies. A rediscovery of th e te rm of civic society w a s
helped especially by societal a n d political c o n d itio n s a ris e n from th e
developm ent of th e society in th e m iddle of 20 th cen tu ry . T o ta lita ria n
regim e cancelled a se p a ra tio n of society from a sta te , it su b ju g a te d
civic society to th e s ta te a n d excluded validity of m an y rig h ts a n d
freedom s existing before th e s ta te a n d originally in d e p e n d e n t on it.
A dditionally a n a b se n c e of th e existence of civic society w a s
experienced especially in th e societies strongly ce n tralise d a n d in
w h ich th e only political-econom ical-ideological h ie ra rc h y did n o t
to lerate a n y com petitor, a n d th e only co n cep tio n defined n o t only th e
t r u t h b u t th e in d iv id u al m orality a s well. In s u c h s itu a tio n th e re
aro se a n e e d of a n e w id ea l w h ich w ould be re -e sta b lish e d in a n id e a
of civic society, in th e id e a s of in stitu tio n a l a n d ideological p lu rality
35
prev en tin g from a n e sta b lish m e n t of pow er a n d tr u th m onopoly a n d
b a la n c in g th e w orking of s ta te in s titu tio n s willing to gain
m onopolistic position. W h at is h id d e n u n d e r th e term civic society?
Keywords : civic society, V isegrad region, m o d ern society,
social system , m odernity.
***
“M odern society w as form ed in th e age of g reat
rev o lu tio n s w hich, on one h a n d gave a b irth to a relatively
a u to n o m o u s individual, a n d on th e o th e r h a n d to whole
in teg ral s tru c tu re of m o d ern social sy stem (Keller 2004). J a n
K eller in one of h is w orks s ta te d th a t th e developm ent of
society h a s c a u se d “....a g ra d u a l e m an c ip a tio n of a n individual
from th e obsolete re la tio n s of a co m m u n ity type. T his h a s
becom e a significant fe a tu re of m odernity" (Keller 2004:435).
N evertheless, th e m o d e rn society h a s also b een u n d e r g ra d u a l
differentiation of th e individual co m p o n en ts of th e society. Mr.
Keller a s well a s o th e r sociologists e v alu a te s th e developm ental
p ro c e sse s a s a d esirab le d e m o n stratio n of m o d ern izatio n b u t
a t th e sam e tim e th e y w a rn a g a in st p o ssib le negative
co n seq u en ces.
It w as n o t easy for th e c u rre n t te rm of civic society to
gain its p o p u la rity a n d poten tial. It is m ore u se fu l to ad d a
sociological m e an in g in a form of existence of in stitu tio n a l
p lu ra lism th a n to re tu rn to ideological tra d itio n s it h a s com e
from . The term of civic society itse lf m ay n o t be a n aly se d via
co m p ariso n of a n tin o m ie s or different u n d e rs ta n d in g s in th e
fram ew ork of ideological sp ec tru m . Its u n d e rs ta n d in g in th e
b a ck g ro u n d of its h isto rical a n d p h ilo so p h ical developm ent is
e sse n tia l b e c a u se of th e com plexity of th e existing societies. A
rediscovery of th e term of civic society w as h elp ed especially by
societal a n d political co n d itio n s a rise n from th e developm ent of
th e society in th e m iddle of 2 0 th cen tu ry . Before th a t, a m a n
engaging in th e conception of civic society w as co n sid ered to
be a h isto ria n m ainly b e c a u se th e te rm itse lf did n o t evoke
a n y th in g lively a n d u seab le. However, d u e to th e above
re a s o n s it w as rediscovered a n d h a s becom e a n ideal. The
re a s o n s are easy to explain. S ta te of a society, th is term re la tes
36
to, h a s becom e highly a p p re cia te d a n d politically attractiv e. It
w as n o t possible to ta lk a b o u t a n existence of w orking civic
society in m a n y c o u n trie s a n d people b eg an to perceive th is
s h o rtn e ss , a n d one m ay say th a t it b eg an h in d e r th em .
T o talitarian regim e cancelled a sep a ra tio n of society
from a s ta te , it su b ju g a te d civic society to th e s ta te a n d
excluded validity of m a n y rig h ts a n d freedom s existing before
th e s ta te a n d originally in d e p e n d e n t on it. „In th is extrem e
form of political society, th e societal o rg a n isatio n s w ere n o t
co n sid ered a n a u to n o m o u s ex p ressio n of in te re s ts b u t a n
ad d itio n al tool of th e ir am elio ratio n a n d supervision.
Therefore, re sto ra tio n of th e in d iv id u al au to n o m y a n d civic
society h a s becom e th e m a in ta s k of d e e ta tisa tio n to p rev en t
from th e e x p an sio n ism of th e s ta te , a s th e m a in goal. However,
it does n o t m e a n th a t s u c h d a n g er is co n n ected w ith a sta te
only, b e c a u se its so u rce ex ists in a civic society a s well. S tate
c a n be th e n u s e d only a s a k in d of pow er in s tru m e n t.
Therefore, th e re sto ra tio n of civic society also h a s th is
q u alitativ e dim en sio n - it re q u ire s re sto ra tio n of d em o cratic
citizenship a n d civic virtues" (Sam aKk 1995: 146). An ab sen ce
of th e existence of civic society w as experienced especially in
th e societies strongly cen tralise d a n d in w hich th e only
political-econom ical-ideological h ie ra rc h y did n o t to lerate any
com petitor, a n d th e only conceptio n defined n o t only th e tr u th
b u t th e in dividual m orality a s well. As a re s u lt, „rest of th e
society a p p ro a ch e d to th e con d itio n of ato m izatio n an d
a d issid e n t becam e a n enem y of peoples a n d regim e." (Gellner
1997: 7).
In s u c h s itu a tio n th e re aro se a n e e d of a n ew ideal
w hich w ould be re -e sta b lish e d in a n id e a of civic society, in th e
id e a s of in s titu tio n a l a n d ideological p lu ra lity p rev en tin g from
a n e sta b lish m e n t of pow er a n d tr u th m onopoly a n d b alan cin g
th e w orking of s ta te in s titu tio n s w illing to gain m onopolistic
position. W hat is h id d e n u n d e r th e te rm civic society? T he
sim p le st a n d also th e m o s t com prehensive definition of th e
civic society com es from E rn s t G ellner: „Civic society is su c h
com plex of n o n - governm ental in s titu tio n s th a t is stro n g
en o u g h to fu n ctio n a s a c o u n te rb a la n c e to th e sta te , w hile it
leaves th e s ta te a fu n ctio n of a p eace g u a ra n to r a n d a rb ite r of
fu n d a m e n ta l in te re sts, it p re v e n ts it to ato m ise th e re s t of th e
society a n d keep it u n d e r its control." (G ellner 1997: 10).
37
N evertheless, th is definition is n o t a ra re one. Sociologist
J u rg e n H a b erm as followed sociological conception of liberalism
w hich e sta b lish e d in te rp re ta tio n of civic society on th e id e a of
a h u m a n a s a self - confident su b je c t governed only by law s
co n n ected w ith a social c o n tra ct. „Civic society is a com plex of
in te rp e rso n a l relatio n s, ru le s a n d re sp o n sib ilities a risin g from
th is c o n tra c t (B elohradsky 1994:5).
Blackw ell
E ncyklopaedia
of
Political
Thought
c h a ra c te ris e s civic society a s a n evolutionary stag e of society
w hich is synonym ic to th e te rm of political society. In its la te r
m e an in g it is perceived a s a societal a n d econom ical
a rra n g e m e n t of p rin cip les a n d in s titu tio n s o u tsid e th e s ta te
fram ew ork referring to so called n o n - political a sp e c ts of th e
p re s e n t social o rd e r (Miller 2000: 67).
Slovak political sc ie n tists a n d a u th o rs of th e S h o rt
dictio n ary of political science ch aracterize civic society a s a
„term h a s b een u s e d in social - political th eo ry since th e 18 th
c e n tu ry to define societal a n d , in a n arro w se n se , p ro p rietary
conditions. U n d er th e influence of n a tu ra l law th eo ry , civic
society w as u n d e rsto o d a s a n im p act of n a tu ra l q u alities
of h u m a n , form s of governm ent, a n d m orality. P rese n t
p olitical-science lite ra tu re d istin g u ish e s b etw een political
society, i.e. th e a re a of p u blic a u th o rity a n d s ta te force, a n d its
b a s is - civic society a s a com plex of n o n - g o v ernm ental
in s titu tio n s a n d social o rg a n ism s.” (Tóth, Krno, K ulasik 1990:
50).
D ifferent individual a p p ro a c h e s of v a rio u s a u th o rs,
ideological views, h isto rical developm ent a n d actio n in different
political sy ste m s influenced v ariety of th e definitions. P rim ary
a ss u m p tio n s of existence a n d of id entification sig n s re p re se n t
a lin k of an y in te rp re ta tio n . D em ocratic political sy stem
c o m p rises a fu n d a m e n ta l a ss u m p tio n of existence of a civic
society. T h u s, we m ay in te rp re t th e civic society a s a sp ace
am ong individual in te re sts a n d p u b lic solidarity. A citizen h a s
a possibility of self - re a lisa tio n th ro u g h a sso ciatio n s,
c h u rc h e s,
econom ic
asso c iatio n s,
tra d e
u n io n s,
and
in d e p e n d e n t g roups. Civic society p re s e n ts a sp ace for people
to le a rn how to p a rtic ip a te in th e pow er a n d tolerance.
C u rre n t
Polish
political
scie n tist
J.
M ielecky
c h arac te riz es civic society a s a n in s tru m e n t to red u ce a room
of s ta te w orking w hich a t th e sam e tim e m a k e s th e political
38
sy stem itse lf active by a n in flu en cin g th e decision - m ak in g
p ro c e sses, ru le s of functioning, w ays of realisatio n . At th e
sam e tim e, it defines co n d itio n s for its existence an d
developm ent: “s ta n d a rd fu n ctio n in g of civic society a n d its
developm ent is conditioned by a d e m o cratisa tio n of political
life of th e society, a n d of c u ltu ra l in te ra c tio n w ith politcal
system " (Lysy 2003: 69). U n d er th e se conditions, civic society
could be defined a s “a sp h ere of h u m a n existence o u tsid e from
th e im m ed iate influence of a s ta te pow er, a n d it h a s b een m ore
a n d m ore co n ten tly u s e d a s th e c h a ra c te ristic s of a co m m u n ity
of fully sovereign citizens w ho m ay ta k e a n active p a rt in
dem ocratic creatio n a n d control of s ta te pow er, a s well a s th e
social a n d econom ical o rg an isatio n , p rin cip les a n d in s titu tio n s
sta n d in g o u tsid e th e s ta te fram ew ork, referrin g to apolitical
a sp e c ts of th e p re s e n t social order" (Lysy 2003: 70).
A ccording to a n o th e r view, "civic society p re s e n ts a se t
of o rg a n isatio n s of public in te re s t th e m a in ta s k of w hich is to
m odify th e existing social - political s tru c tu re s (Gaziova 1999).
S u c h o rg a n isatio n s of p u blic in te re s t re p re se n t a n a s s e t while
c re atin g a social s tru c tu re , a t creatio n of political sy stem an d
p u b lic in s titu tio n s a s well a s in th e p ro c e ss of division of
co m p eten ces a n d pow er d ecen tralizatio n . T h u s, u n d e r
co n d itio n s of th e c u rre n t dem o cracies it c o m p rises ‘‘a n
e sta b lish m e n t of so called th ird sec to r w hich is o u tsid e th e
form al s ta te a p p a r a tu s w hile it h a s a p a rtic u la r in flu en ce on
p u b lic a u th o ritie s since it e n s u re s n e e d s of th e citizens a n d a t
th e sam e tim e it su p erv ise s w h e th e r a n d how th ey are
provided by th e state" (Fetkova 1997: 169). B ased on G abriela
F e tk o v a 's opinion th e th ird secto r is m ad e u p of n o n governm ental o rg a n isatio n s th e aim of w hich is to "learn a
m a n n o t to rely only on th e s ta t e ’s help b u t to a c t while
a ss e rtin g h is / h e r own n e e d s a s well a s th e n e e d s of th e whole
society" (Fetkova 1997: 169). V ariety in developm ent an d
u n d e rs ta n d in g th e civic society we c a n c o n sid er u n d e r
exam ples of its creatio n in th e V 4 c o u n trie s a t th e p re s e n t
t im e.
T h e C zech rep ublic - Czech political sc ie n tists in th e
d isc u ssio n a b o u t civic society an aly se especially th e problem
of p u rp o se of its existence. D ualism in th is d isc u ssio n h a s
a p p e a re d in th is d isc u ssio n on th e side of th e conservatives
(on th e h e a d w ith th e c u rre n t Czech p re s id e n t Vaclav Klaus)
39
w ho perceive th is d isc u ssio n a s a d isc u ssio n a b o u t possibility
of a n effective governance, a n d , on th e o th e r side, th e group
(rep resen ted by th e la s t federal a n d th e first Czech p re sid e n t
Vaclav Havel) th a t perceive th is d isc u ssio n especially a s a n
“is su e of a u th e n tic ity in politics”. The d isco u rse h a s tu rn e d
political d ecisions a n d view s in to o rd in ary cliche w hich evoked
false e x p ectatio n s in th e citizens a b o u t w h a t th e politics is able
to give th e m ” (Żak 2003: 319). The in itiativ es a s Im p u ls 99
(Im pulse 99) or D ekujem e, odejdete (T hank you, leave away)
com prised a t th e en d of 2 0 th c e n tu ry th e m o st significant
activity of th e Czech civic society. W hile a n aly sin g th e m it is
n e c e ssa ry to n ote th a t th ey did n o t acco m p lish a b asic
c h a ra c te ristic fe a tu re - to w ork a s a c o u n te rb a la n c e to th e
political system . “An effort to directly influence political sp h ere
w as th e ir specific featu re. They exem plarily p e rs u a d e d th a t in
case th e re are n o t exactly defined lim its a n d th e relatio n
betw een politics a n d civic activity“ (Żak 2003: 333) existence of
civic activities, initiatives a n d a sso c ia tio n s is n o t effective. On
th e o th e r h a n d , it is n e c e ssa ry to m en tio n som e su cc e ssfu l
civic initiatives s u c h a s “M anifest sp iso v atelu p o litik u m ”
(W riters' M anifesto to Politicians) from 1917 or C h a rta 77
(C h arter 77). In spite of th e fact th a t th e first one w as w ritten
in th e w ar tim e a n d th e la tte r one in th e tim e of n o rm alizatio n ,
th e ir influence on th e political scen e w as n o t in significant.
However, after som e y e a rs th ey lo st th e ir influence, it is
n e c e ssa ry to rem in d th em . „Both th e civic in itiativ es got into a
m ag n etic field of th e politics d u e to th e ir su cc e ss. We can
th a n k th e m th a t th ey graphically show ed u s th e core of th e ir
differences from political p arty . W hile in a w orking political
p a rty th e re m u s t be a c e n tra l a u th o rity able to a c t a s one after
th e d iscu ssio n , a civic initiative lacking of s u c h a n a u th o rity is
n ev er able to decide to act. A nd in case it c a n do so, it sp lits
u n d e r its first conflict" (Żak 2003: 333). T herefore, th e Czech
civic society is typical for its in te rc o n n ec tio n w ith politics th a t
d isab les it to w ork effectively in a m o d ern u n d e rs ta n d in g of th e
civic society a s th e c o u n te rb a la n c e to th e sta te . The d e p th of
its m is u n d e rsta n d in g com es o u t n o t only from h isto ric a l facts
b u t also from th e a ttitu d e of th e public. In sp ite of th a t,
looking a t th e developm ent since 9 0 th, we m u s t say th a t civic
society h a s b een still developing a n d h a s ta k e n th e rig h t
40
direction to re a c h ra tio n a l a n d effective o p eratio n acco rd in g to
th e exam ples of developed dem ocracies.
The R epublic o f Poland c o m p rises a n o th e r exam ple of
developm ent of civic society in th e region. In th e 9 0 s E urope
u n d e rw e n t a wave of tra n sfo rm a tio n w hich ch an g ed co n d itio n s
of political sy ste m s of th e C en tral - E u ro p e a n co u n tries.
P oland w as th e first c o u n try w hich started the transformation
w a ve in the Central - European region m ain ly d u e to civic
society h aving alread y s ta rte d to be active. As one of th e m o st
fa m o u s initiatives m ay be m ovem ent S o lid arita especially,
activities of w hich cam e from th e below . Its existence an d
activity m ay be tra c k e d couple of y e a rs b ack , b u t for its
activities in favour of th e citizens it cam e u n d e r p ro h ib itio n to
a c t by th e ru lin g C o m m u n ist p arty . R eg ard less th is fact th e
m ovem ent c o n tin u e d to w ork a n d in 1989, also th a n k s to th e
T a d e u sz M azow iecky's p o sition a s th e Prim e m in iste r
c o n trib u te d to overthrow of th e a u th o rita ria n regim e a n d to
e sta b lish m e n t of dem ocracy, a s th e first one in th e C entral
E urope.
The first relatively free a n d p a rtly d em o cratic elections
w ere held in 1989. The civic m ovem ent S o lid arita re a c h e d n o t
only its a im - econom ic a n d social rig h ts for w orking class, b u t
also m ark ed ly c o n trib u te d to e sta b lish m e n t of d em o cratic
political system . At th e sam e tim e, it show ed o th e r c o u n trie s
th a t civic initiatives arisin g from below a n d u n ite d by a
com m on aim are proven to be effective a n d do n o t sto p th e ir
activity a t th e very first conflict. In th is p o in t, for fu rth e r
an aly se, we m u s t a d d th a t S o lid arita m a n ag e d to asso ciate
people w ith different view s (the left- orien ted , rad icals, rightoriented, conservatives a s well a s liberals) j u s t h aving a
com m on aim . Civic society b u ilt on s u c h principle beco m es a n
e q u al p a rtn e r to th e s ta te in stitu tio n s , a n d alongside it
provides a sp ace for all citizens to p a rtic ip a te in th e pu b lic
pow er.
In H ungary th e th ird secto r (in a n a rro w u n d e rs ta n d in g
a s a civic society) re sto re d its activities in 1987 w h en a new
Act on F o u n d a tio n s a n d Non- G overnm ental O rg an isatio n w as
ad o p ted . T hese o rg a n isatio n s significantly h elp ed to a d o p t a n
Act on A ssociations a n d T heir R ights in 1989. At th e begin n in g
of th e m illennium , in H ungary th e re w ere ap p ro x im ately 60
th o u s a n d n o n - g overnm ental o rg a n isatio n s w ith n early 400
41
th o u s a n d v o lu n te e rs (The V isegrad Y earbook 2 0 0 3 ; 2004:
193), it is th e h ig h e st n u m b e r in V isegrad region. B ased on
legal e n a c tm e n ts, th e a c to rs of civic society a c t in th e form of
asso c iatio n s, fo u n d a tio n s a n d u n in c o rp o ra te d asso ciatio n s.
T here is a n e e d to s tre s s th a t som e ty p es of o rg a n isatio n s m ay
be found by th e s ta te a n d its in s titu tio n s only. T h a t w as th e
w ay how th e s ta te d eterm in ed lim its for th e existence a n d
o p eratio n of th e civic society. Act on new o rg a n isatio n s w as
a d o p ted in 1993, a n d Act on Public Service in 1997. At th e
beginning of 9 0 th developm ent of civic society w as su p p o rte d
also by th e s ta te th ro u g h e sta b lish m e n t of so - called 1% ta x
c o n trib u tio n . T his c o n trib u tio n cre ate d b e tte r sp ace for
citizens to p a rtic ip a te in civic society.
In th e la s t decade of th e 20th c en tu ry , th e civic society in
H u n g ary could be c h a ra c te rise d by d u a lism derived from a
fo u n d e r of th e single u n in c o rp o ra te d a sso c ia tio n s (up to 10%
of n o n - governm ental o rg a n isatio n s a n d a sso c ia tio n s were
fou n d ed by th e state). C urrently, th e civic society h a s b een too
polarized. M odern tre n d s in c lu d in g legal a n d econom ical
reg u latio n s, rig h ts a n d d u tie s of n o n - governm ental
o rg an isatio n have c a u se d th a t th e th ird sec to r is able to unify
only in th e a re a of th e sam e in te re s ts , now . T he solid com plex
th a t could be equival p a rtn e r in th e c o m m u n icatio n w ith th e
s ta te a n d could fill in th e gap betw een th e citizens a n d sta te
in s titu tio n s is n o t so easy to create. As first, it is n e c e ssa ry to
clearly define a sp ace for u n in c o rp o ra te d a sso c iatio n s, to
define th e role of th e civic society itself, a n d to se t econom ical
a n d legal fram ew orks for its existence.
Civic society in th e S lo v a k rep ublic h a s developed in
sim ilar d im e n sio n s a s in th e o th e r n eig h b o u rin g c o u n trie s of
C en tral - E urope. In m a n y p o in ts it reflected developm ent in
th e Czech rep u b lic, th e difference lay s in m ore active a ttitu d e
of Slovak citizens to pub lic a d m in istra tio n . The com m on
cam p aig n before th e 1998 P a rliam e n ta ry elections m a y be
co n sid ered a n evident d e m o n stra tio n of o p eratin g of th e civic
society. T h o u s a n d s of v o lu n te e rs to o k a p a rt in th e cam p aig n
OK '9 8 help ed by foreign o b serv ers a n d fu n d s. T h is cam p aig n
gave a b irth to th e first fo u n d e rs of n o n - governm ental
o rg an izatio n s
and
first
fo u n d e rs
of
u n in c o rp o ra te d
a sso ciatio n s. The Slovak civic society is c h a ra c te rise d by
42
ra th e r big d e ce n tra lisatio n , nam ely b a se d on th e activities th ey
deal w ith.
In terco n n ectin g to delegation of co m p eten ces, we can
see th is tre n d also in th e existence of u n in c o rp o ra te d
asso c iatio n s, too. They w ork especially a t regional level an d
th e ir activities fill in th e sp ace betw een local a u th o ritie s an d
th e ir citizens.
O n th e o th e r h a n d , th e re exist n a tio n a l
u n in c o rp o ra te d a sso c ia tio n s active all over th e co u n try . In
m a n y c a se s th e y often are e q u al p a rtn e r to th e sta te
a u th o ritie s, for exam ple a s ex p ert c o n s u lta n ts in a law -m aking
p ro c e ss (m em bers of n o n - g overn m en tal o rg a n isatio n s were
m e m b e rs of a w orking te am p re p a rin g th e law a b o u t th e
conflict of in te re sts, a m e n d m e n ts of Political P arties Act, etc.).
C ontem porary m o d ern civic society in th e V isegrad
region c o u n trie s reflects especially principle of creatin g th e
initiatives a n d civic activities from below com ing rig h t from th e
citizens a n d th e ir n eed s. Also th e civic society sh o u ld be
cre ate d in th is se n se a t th e E u ro p e a n level a n d re p re se n t th e
n e e d s of th e m em b er s ta te s citizens a g a in st th e E u ro p ea n
in stitu tio n s.
C o n clu sio n
The 19th c e n tu ry m ay be, for a p a rt of E u ro p e,
c h a ra c te rise d by a n existence of cen tralise d s ta te s th a t,
how ever holding m onopoly of th e ir pow er, did n o t c au se
p o w e rle ssn ess a n d could n o t p rev en t from d isin te g ra tio n of th e
society. T here w as e sta b lish e d , th o u g h , a seg m en ted society a s
a n altern ativ e to th e s ta te a n d in n e r opposition a g a in st s ta te
pow er. However, its m a in goal w as to be active w ith in th e
sy stem , th e y s ta rte d to fight a g a in st th is d isin te g ra tio n an d
new p h e n o m en a . T h a t w as a g ro u n d for sep a ra tio n of civic
society n o t only from th e s ta te b u t also from its in s tru m e n ts
a n d in s titu tio n s, a n d th u s a b a sis for fo rm atio n of a new
a rra n g e m e n t of th e society.
Civic society is b a se d on sep a ra tio n of a political
a rra n g e m e n t from econom ic a n d social life, n am ely w h en
com bined w ith a b sen ce of do m in atio n of th o se keeping th e
pow er over th e life of th e society. Political c en tralism , th o u g h ,
is inevitable a s in th e m o d ern w orld econom ic a n d social u n its
m ay n o t fulfil also role of in s titu tio n s e n su rin g th e order.
E conom ic p lu ra lism , in co n nectio n w ith political control, is
43
literally req u ired . A utonom y of th e econom y is n e c e s sa ry in
favour of its effectiveness b u t also d u e to e n su re d p lu ralism
w ith social b a sis th a t m ay be n o t fo u n d an y w h ere else.
In tellectu al a n d ideological p lu ra lism is req u ired for a n
effective w orking of th e civic society.
T h u s th e
civic society b eco m es a
significant
rein fo rcem en t of new political sy stem being e sta b lish e d on th e
b a s is of falling socialistic e sta b lish m e n t. It is re p re se n te d by a
volum e of a sso c iatio n s a n d in s titu tio n s stro n g en o u g h to avoid
from s ta te ty ra n n y , a n d by th o se open for every citizen to freely
e n te r a n d leave anytim e w ith no e v en tu al co n seq u en ces.
The civic society c re ate d u n d e r ch an g ed social
co n d itio n s of th e V isegrad region is c h ara c te ristic by its
b o tto m -u p creation. The a cto rs com prise in co rp o rated
a sso c iatio n s active a t n a tio n a l, b u t a t th e p re s e n t tim e m orele ss a t th e regional level. They struggle for filling a gap in
c o m m u n icatio n betw een citizens a n d s ta te a n d its in stitu tio n s.
However, in m a n y c a se s th e ir activity is lim ited by th e fu n d s.
Civic society in th e V isegrad regions h a s b e en e sta b lish e d
differently d ep en d in g on h isto rical a n d social conditions,
econom ic s itu a tio n a s well a s c u ltu ra l fo rw ard n ess a n d civic
involvem ent. Poland w as th e first s ta te th a t s ta rte d
revitalisation of its civic society in th e region. S u c c e sse s of th e
civic m ovem ent “S olidarity” s u p p o rte d a n id e a of active
fu n ctio n in g of th e civic society in th e form er C zechoslovakia a s
well a s in H ungary. A p a rtic u la r difference m ay be seen a s in
th e p a rtic ip a tio n a t civic society creatio n s, s tru c tu re of its
m e m b e rs a s well a s legislation a n d o th e r d e te rm in a n ts of its
existence. C om m on signs, th o u g h , com prise a p ercep tio n of
civic society a s a c o u n te rb a la n c e to s ta te in s titu tio n s a n d
possibility of re a lisa tio n of civic activities in a p u b lic life.
R eferring to creatio n of th e E u ro p e a n U nion, also civic
society g ets new volum e. Its fu n ctio n h a s ch an g ed , re c e n t
inform al fu n ctio n in g h a s b een a lte rn a te d by form alised
cooperation w ith in th e E u ro p ea n E conom ic a n d Social
C om m ittee. T hose tim es th e re w ere m an y q u e stio n s to be
an sw ered -w h a t direction th e civic society is to develop u n d e r
th e new co n ditions?, how th e co o p eratio n will be ch an g ed
u n d e r elim ination of b a rrie rs cre ate d by th e m em b er s ta te s '
b o rd e rs?, a n d o th ers.
44
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