Global Civil Society And State

This thesis, based on the summarization of the theoretical fruits on Global Civil Society in the English academic field,unfolds the discussion on the relationship between global civil society and state, centering on the issue "the existence and development of global civil society are changing people's identity with states and related concepts (sovereignty\citizenship\democracy ),and propel the transform of traditional state theory. The thesis consists of 7 parts (foreword,five chapters and epilogue) :The first part is foreword. In the light of new changes in the states' situation,this part indicates the coming of post-Fordism and the globalization driven by Neo-Liberalism lead to crisis of states; States seek reforms in order to adapt to the new situation well, and an important dimension of the reforms is to transfer some functions to civil society. In this situation, civil society gets great developing space, resulting in the gradual formation of structures of global governance, coexistence with state and global capital. This part also points out that global civil society is an outcome of relationship's transformation between state and society, which renewedly advances the theory reconstruction of this relationship. At last, this part shows although in the reconstructed theory global civil society will play an important role in global governance, states are still the major power in structures of governance,the existence and development of governance structures can not live without the function of meta-governance of states.The second part includes" theory modes and study frames of global civil society". This part is a literature review on the domestic and foreign research of global civil society .It mainly introduces the current researches into global civil society in the English academic field, clarifies the basic theory modes and main study frames of global civil society in the English academic field, and suggests: our China's research into global civil society is in need of further development and it needs to focus on the relationship between civil society and states in particular. This part at last points out that the research of the thesis goes on circling the three most important dimensions—the relationship among sovereignty, citizenship, and democracy.The third part discusses the bloom of "global civil society". This part indicates that the globalization driven by Neo-Liberalism aggravates the crisis of modernity and spreads this crisis around the world; we are living in "global risk society". Towards this, all states are reacting actively, trying to help state reform and control the direction of globalization combining the power of civil society, which directly advances the developing of civil society theory having revived since 70s in the 20th century and helps form global civil society in the 90s.Global civil society is the combination of "global" and "civil society", but more than that, it itself has become a significant analyzing category, which is not only related to "civil society" theory, but also different from that; which exists as a kind of political tactics and a kind of integrated target system. This part lastly briefly defines the connotation of the concept" global civil society" discussed in the thesis. The fourth part discusses the relationship between "global civil society" and "state sovereignty". This part outlines the theory of the relationship between "global civil society" and state sovereignty, circling the three dimensions of Theory of International Politics, Theory of Global Governance and Harbermas' Sovereignty Ending Theory. The current development of Theory of International Politics fully reflects that global civil society is playing an ever-increasing part in global politics, however , its knowledge about the function of global civil society is still at the primary stage, yet only admits the influence and implementing function of global civil society on states. Theory of Global Governance regards global civil society as one of the three supporting pillars in the future governance structures, equaling the status of global civil society, states and global capital, authorizing global civil society formally. However, the global governance theory never denies the leading role of states in global governance, still sticking to it that states are special in the governance system. Harbermas puts forward the viewpoint that states will end in a "World Civil Society", heightening the historical significance of "World Civil Society" to the top. Although Harbermas' theory is discussing an idealistic society form, yet even though it is analyzed only theoretically regardless of realities, this viewpoint still can not hold water. Through the above discussion, this part seeks to indicate that although global civil society challenges the concept of sovereignty, such challenge is still limited; states maybe draw back in some aspects, but strengthen their own power and ability in some other aspects.The fifth part discusses the relationship between "global civil society" and "civil identity" .This part points out that the development of global civil society revives the concept of "global citizen", and makes the discussion on global civil identity more positive. Global civil identity means that a kind of split between individual and the nation, and the identity affects states greatly. To some degree, it is historically necessary for civil identity to go globally, influenced by global civil society and many factors. During this process, we should properly manage the tension between global civil identity and sovereignty civil identity. "Different Civil Identity" of Iris Marion Young's and "Compound Civil Identity" of David Held's are trying to solve this problem. But their solutions still have some limitations. For the time being and in a long time to come, sovereignty civil identity will determine citizen's consciousness and actions.The sixth part discusses the relationship between "global civil society" and "democracy". This part focuses on expounding the relationship between global civil society and democracy from the angle of global democracy crisis and it points out that because global civil society highlights citizen ontology in the field of value and citizen self-determination in the field of politics, it brings about new hope to improve traditional political democracy, but global civil society itself also has democracy deficits. Even so, in the discussion on global democracy, global civil society also gains significant status. However, no matter liberal democratic global democracy,cosmopolitism democracy or grass-rooted democracy, every global democracy mode puts forward that we had better consider global democracy as the process of working together of states, global civil society and global market, in which every part must overcome its own limitations, manage the conflicts and fights in the cooperating coexistence in order to form a good interactive relationship.The seventh part is summarization. This part further points out that there are two opposite viewpoints on the relationship between global civil society and states, one of which holds that states will end in global society, and the other of which holds that states and global society co-exist in global governance structures. Such two viewpoints determine the future of global civil society. As for the first viewpoint, global civil society can not surpass the limitations of reality and theory, therefore it is only a Utopia out of reach. As for the second viewpoint, the historic significance lies in gaining the rights counter-balancing with states and market to further the three parts' cooperation, realizing the aims of human development and justice. In this sense, global civil society can be realized in global governance structure, thus it can not be just a righteous Utopia. The thesis supports the second viewpoint, optimistic about the future of global civil society. At last, this part indicates achieving the goal of global civil society is a long way, at the present time, global civil society should accelerate global governance more actively and overcome its limitations ceaselessly.