Role Of Civil Society As Agent Of Democratization

The Role of Civil Society as agent of democratization: Experiences from the Tunisian Democratic Transition

The revolution that exploded on the international scene on 14 January 2011 in the North African county of Tunisia and quickly spread into Egypt, Libya and elsewhere, that began to be called as the Arab Spring where for many it serves as a democratizing force that has brought about political reforms in the present, this study aims to examine the nature and significant role of the civil society in consolidating a democratic government and analyze the Tunisian experience that was seen by many as a model for a modern democratic state in the Arab world.

In the beginning of any research study, it is pivotal to account relevant theory because

First, it is seen as providing civic education and a moral order that benefits the whole of society. Second, civil society is often regarded as a powerful antidote to the dangers of the all powerful and tyrannical state, by providing society with an unobserved space to rally and organize (Behr,2013) thus Civil society is more than the groups and individuals themselves it is the sum of all collective civic action aimed at accomplishing community goals.

In a much more wider perspective the role of civil society in terms of its capacity to be a catalyst of democratization have been widely debated, but in a positive note civil society have been acclaimed that it constitute an important role in leading a democratic process. According to Graeme Gill, the presence of a strong and independent civil society increases the prospects that a political transition will lead to the establishment of democratic institutions, rather than a mere change of top-level leadership or an authoritarian reversal. Indeed, it is during the transition process when political authority and institutions are at their weakest that a strong civil society can play its most important role.(Gill,2000) The fundamental role of Civil society was seen in its primary duty in promoting civic education and moral order that contributes to the benefit of everyone in the society because of these it encourages

In many countries that are still in the present authoritarian regime, consolidating a civil society against oppressive policies and laws from the government that leads to certain violations and deprivation of rights of people still becomes difficult thus enabling civil societies to evolve its different characteristics. Towards the end of the Arab Spring in some states such in Tunisia, the characteristics of civil societies have developed in an array of different converging ideas. However, the general debate has these three characteristics of civil society organizations to become agents of democratization. First, the organizations should follow democratic processes; the embodiment of democratic values of diversity and tolerance within its membership must be present. Second, their agendas must observe element of demand for political democracy, applying increased pressure on the state to make a lasting transition. Third, Civil societies must have enough support from the public to play an influential role in the democratization process, in essence; they must work with the state yet remain autonomous from it. The characteristics of Civil society as drivers of democracy in advocating structural change of the government