...Article review: One‐Party Rule and the Challenge of Civil Society in Vietnam Vietnam has experienced important changes since the Doi Moi in 1986. One of these changes is the emergence of the political civil society groups. Nowadays, these groups gain importance over the years. The reason of the presence of those association and groups is because of the repression of the state, the hegemony exercised by it, the corruption and other social ills. That is to say that Vietnam may face domestic instability if the one-party state fails to answer the civil society’s challenge. The Vietnamese system, the mono-organizational one has during these last years lived some important changes. The Vietnam Communist Party was viewed as an elitist hierarchical organization that exercised an unchallenged power. This party has been exercising control over the state and the armed forces by the penetration by committees and party cells Such as Vietnam fatherland Front, an umbrella Organizations grouping the majority of pro-party mass organizations of the country. The state has allowed a little room for the private sector, for associations such as Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations and organizations as the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This private sector employs more than ninety per cent of the work force and private enterprises gain more importance and growth over the years even if it is policy that party committees must be established in all private enterprises. Nevertheless...
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...Masters Student of Research and Public Policy at University of Dar-Es-Salaam ------------------------------------------------- INTRODUCTION ------------------------------------------------- Civil society is often described as the “third sector”, a domain outside market and state which contributes economic participation. Its strength can have a positive economic influence on the state and the market. Other scholars such as Adam Smith and Marx in identifying civil society primarily as economic interaction through the market and hence civil society acting as the agent for promoting economic development in country by stimulating good governance like transparency, effectiveness, openness, responsiveness and accountability. Therefore key features of successful civil society which emanate from various definitions include the following: separation from the state and the market; formed by people who have common needs, interests and values like tolerance, inclusion, cooperation and equality; and development through a fundamentally endogenous and autonomous process which cannot easily be controlled from outside. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the functions or economic roles of civil society. Firstly, Civil society is often associated with its advocacy role. Civil society can identify problems that are not addressed by the economic elite and bring them to public attention, thereby creating public opinion, awareness and change. In many countries ,NGOs have taken on a...
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...Essay Title: Is Global Civil Society an answer to War? Introduction War is not a modern phenomenon but as old as human existence itself. Wars are not like natural calamities or phenomenon but are very much part of human existential dynamics that seeks both peace and ability to survive acknowledging its natural competitive behaviour which unlike realist assumptions is conditioned and not natural. However, realism has dominated the field of international relations since the end of World War 11. It dominates political thinking, with exclusive emphasis on the state as the primary actor in world politics. Realists display a very overt pessimistic view of human nature, advocating with religious conviction that selfish human nature drives international relations into conflicts subjugating state to resort to organized violence and wars in order to gain upper hand and to always resort to wars to resolve international conflicts. Thus resulting in a system framed to maximize state’s military power in a predominantly anarchical environment. As a distinct school of thought, Realism emphasizes separation from domestic to international with little or no democratic structures within its sphere. Consequently, warfare has remained an institutionalized social order against the predatory behavior of others and consequently a legitimate instrument of survival. Moreover, growth in the size of armies and the development of weapons technology has led to an increase in the frequency of wars resulting...
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...LECTURE 2: NGO, Concept and Governance Defining Criteria Size - it started out as small, informal structures in which management issues can be dealt with on an ad hoc (unplanned), informal basis, may rapidly grow in size if they find favour with donor agencies. SIZE: some (e.g. Greenpeace, Oxfam, International Committee of the Red Cross, Medecins sans Frontieres) are large, multinational bodies, with offices in many countries (and often multiple branches within a single country), and large full-time and salaried staffs. At the other extreme, I know of a number of "NGOs" that are in practice one- or two-person operations, dependent on and run by entirely voluntary (perhaps even part-time) effort. Organizational structure - Mars (1992) says that that the above is possible because the organizational structure of the NGOs are informal and not bureaucratic or hierarchical, and they are result oriented rather than paying attention to regulations and protecting their political power. NGOs may be large or small, formal or informal, bureaucratic or flexible Top Management -----> <----Staffs members Operational Programme areas – Humanitarian, indigenous, environment, charity, etc Geographical specificity – GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE: Compare large bodies such as Greenpeace, who take on issues fron global to local (but anywhere in the world) scale, with, for example, a European NGO whose work focuses only on a specific country or region or issue overseas (e.g there is an...
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...which comprise the emerging global civil society. What is their potential for contributing to ‘globalization with a human face’? Essay Number: 707004 Word Count: 3491 I. Introduction While globalization processes have propelled the world into an era of shrinking borders, rapid technological advances and intensifying connectedness, global civil society has risen at an equally rapid pace. Though global civil society is not a new phenomenon, the realm has become increasingly compelling in light of the explosion of civil society institutions that constitute a truly global sphere (Falk, 2000). By 2002, more than 30,000 international nongovernmental organizations existed alongside more than 20,000 global civil society networks, ninety percent of which had emerged during the previous three decades (Edwards, 2002). As numbers continue to increase, the true estimate of global civil society institutions is likely in the millions (Matthews, 2003). The growth of global civil society in the era of globalization leads naturally to questions regarding the institutions included in this sector and their contributions to the processes of globalization. Consequently, this essay will review the institutions that comprise the emerging global civil society and critically assess their potential to promote ‘globalization with a human face’, as defined by the 1999 United Nations Human Development Report. Many global civil society actors have developed with missions...
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... The fact is, civil disobediance is not only positive in a free society, but neccessary. In addition, the idea of restricting civil disobedience is near to fascism. The ideology that the people not be allowed to peacefully protest or disobey certain sets of rules put in place is too restrictive in a country claiming to be the land of the free. We the people did not sign up to live in a country that gets to choose what our opinions look like to the rest of the world....
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...Civil disobedience positively impacts a free society. It is one of the best ways to protest because not only is it usually nonviolent, but it raises awareness in a more effective way. Some of the biggest changes in our society stemmed from and grew because of civil disobedience. When the LA riots broke out, people around the country thought not of the reason behind all the rage and destruction, but of the danger and stupidity of the crimes people were committing. However, when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, she went to jail and accepted the consequences in order to show Americans everywhere what unjust treatment people of color suffered on a daily basis. Over 60 years later and Rosa Parks is still regarded as a brave pioneer of the modern civil rights...
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...INTRODUCTION The participation of the state in enterprises in Nigeria dates back to the colonial era. The task of providing infrastructural facilities such as railway, road, bridges, water, electricity and port facilities fell on the colonial government due to the absence of indigenous companies with the required capital as well as the inability or unwillingness of foreign trading companies to embark on these capital-intensive projects(Iheme 1997).This involvement was expended and consolidated by the colonial welfare development plan (1946 – 56) that was formulated when the labour party came to power in the United Kingdom. This trend continued after independence such that by 1999, it was estimated that successive Nigeria Governments have invested up to 800 billion Naira in public owned enterprises (Obasanjo, 1999). THE CONCEPT OF PRIVATIZATION Although the concept of privatization is an is an emotive, ideological and controversial one evoking sharp political reactions, its political origins, meaning and objectives are not ambiguous. Iheme (1997).defines privatizations as: …any of a variety of measurers adopted by government to expose a public enterprise to competition or to bring in private ownership or control or management into a public enterprise and accordingly to reduce the usual weight of public ownership or control or management. However, in a strict sense, privatization means the transfer of the ownership (and all the incidence of ownership, including...
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...its driving power. Free flow of information and its consumption boosts a country’s progress and prosperity. Effectiveness of democracy and security of human rights vastly depends on freedom of expression and information, in other word, freedom of the press. Understanding the essence many countries- from developed to developing- now open the shutters and nod the people’s right to the access of information resources. In recent years, a number of nations enacted the freedom of information law including neighboring India in 2005, Pakistan in 2002, and Nepal in 2007. After the restoration of democracy in 1990, gradually a demand of giving the people the right or access to information emerged and subsequently a massive discussion among civil society to media practitioners continued. Unfortunately, no political government passed the freedom of information law even though they several times focused the issue on their respective election manifestos. Finally, light has seen at the end of the tunnel. The...
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...2012, pp.439-458 Role of Civil Society in Empowering Pakistani Women Shehzadi Zamurrad Awan F.C College University ABSTRACT Civil society in Pakistan has been playing its role in social, economic and political empowerment of women. Unfortunately, despite of the emergence of vibrant print/electronic media, wide-spread network of women related non-governmental organizations and the focus of political parties on women related issues; a large segment of female population is still struggling hard for the equal status. However, it is pertinent to state that the notion of women empowerment is deeply linked with an over-all change in patriarchal structure of the society, on one side and the truthful understanding of religion (Islam) on the other. We cannot neglect this reality that the growing trend to provide equal opportunities of education and employment to women has contributed to their welfare, but not effective through to make a dent in their over-all well-being. In spite of the fact that more representation is given to the women in legislatures, neither have they suggested remedies for the grievances and dismal plight of women, nor they could suggest the broad framework to improve the role of female socio-economic and political in Pakistan. KEY WORDS: Civil Society, Pakistan, Woman, Welfare, Gender, NGO Introduction This paper intends to establish a linkage between the issues of women empowerment and the contribution of the civil society, to achieve a respectable status...
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...Book: The Road Less Traveled: Part 1: Discipline (pages 11-78) Study Question: In keeping with the four-fold explanation offered by Peck concerning the nature of discipline, consider and respond to each of the following questions: 1. What is Peck’s thesis concerning the delaying of gratification? How can you see it applying at an organizational level? 2. What is Peck’s perspective concerning the appropriate acceptance of responsibility? As you think back on Session 1’s content on the modern corporation, in what ways does the design and operation of the modern organization potentially frustrate or complicate the appropriate acceptance and/or non-acceptance of responsibility by an individual manager? 3. What, according to Peck, does it mean to maintain a commitment to reality at all costs? In what ways might the nature of many organizations make maintaining such a ‘commitment’ inherently problematic? How do your answers relate to the Gioia’s idea of a ‘script’ as encountered in his Journal of Business Ethics article? 4. Finally, what, according to Peck, is “balancing”? When you look back over the examples you have encountered thus far in the course, what have been the most noteworthy examples of the kind of “balancing” (or lack thereof) advocated by Peck? Answer: Peck’s thesis concerning the delaying of gratification is that a person is able to overcome procrastination by taking on the hard work first and saving the pleasure for later. The simple example on gratification...
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...2.1. Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) There are so many definitions of the Non-governmental Organisation. World Bank defines the NGO as many groups and institutions that are entirely or largely independent of government and that have primary humanitarian or cooperative rather that commercial objectives. They are private agencies in industrial countries that support international development; indigenous groups organized regionally or nationally; and member-groups in villages. NGOs include charitable and religious associations that mobilize private funds for development, distribute food and family planning services and promote community organization. They also include independent cooperatives, community associations, water-user societies, women’s groups and pastoral associations. Citizen groups that raise awareness and influence policy are also NGOs. It is also defined as an organization established by and for the community without or with little intervention from the government; they are not only a charity organization, but work on socio-economic-cultural activities. It is also an organization that is flexible and democratic in its organization and attempts to serve the people without profit for itself. In this paper I am going to define an NGO as a private voluntary grouping of individuals or associations not...
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...Account for the growing importance of global civil society in global environmental politics. Is this phenomenon synonymous with global environmental governance? The globalization phenomenon has altered many facets of the contemporary world. Areas of governance such as states’ policy making, the way companies do business, and how information is shared have all been affected by the increasingly globalized world. With all of these changes occurring at a rapid pace, state sovereignty has been challenged by a plethora of other actors who now can claim some form of governance in the global system. In the modern world sources of authority such as international governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, social movements, and multinational corporations all have joined the state in establishing governance on a wide array of issues: “Activist groups, business associations and policy research institutes now provide research and policy advise, monitor the commitments of states, inform governments and the public about the actions of their own diplomats and those of negotiation partners, and give diplomats at international meetings direct feedback (Betsill 243). In particular, one such area of global governance where there is a question of governmental authority can be seen in global environmental politics. Over the last few decades, the role of non-state actors in global governance has increased as citizens have taken their own initiatives to instigate environmental...
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...The London School of Economics and Political Science THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE DEMOCRATISATION OF GLOBAL GOVERNANCE INSTITUTIONS: From ‘Soft Power’ to Collective Decision-Making? Saif Al-Islam Alqadhafi A thesis submitted to the Department of Philosophy of the London School of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, London, September 2007 Declaration I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the MPhil/PhD degree of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the author. I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. 2 Abstract This dissertation analyses the problem of how to create more just and democratic global governing institutions, exploring the approach of a more formal system of collective decision-making by the three main actors in global society: governments, civil society and the business sector. The thesis seeks to make a contribution by presenting for discussion an addition to the system of international governance that is morally...
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...global market is the severe exploitation of sweatshop labour conditions such as, child labour, poor health and safety standards, indentured servitude, sexual harassment and abuse, excessive overtime and under compensation. National and International labour standards do exist, the problem is that many countries where global supplier factories are located are either unable or unwilling to enforce labour laws for one reason or another. Thus, because governments in certain countries around the world do not enforce decent labour standards, multi nationals have been able to take advantage of cheap labour without many repercussions. Corporate citizenship or social responsibility has become a very important business practice for many companies. Civil society groups and consumers are now becoming much more adamant on the issue of corporate social responsibility and global fair labour. Multi national corporations, in the past, have been focused only on one objective, profit. With the increased pressure from consumers for business transactions to be more transparent, many companies have been forced to become more corporately responsible with their business practices. Many companies around the world have tried to become socially responsible; they have implemented detailed codes of conduct and factory on-site monitoring as well as factory system auditing which includes a health management and...
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