I think a number of people have made that point. That the period of time
when theWestern social safety net, universal rights, substantial proportion
of the population with a good standard of living, etc, is an aberration
rather than the rule of human history. But its hope of survival is often
pending on the development of a strong civil society, that globalization
would raise standards of labour, environment, literacy is dependent on a
strong moral civic society. Which would depend on the have nots having
access to communications, Internet, voting, participation in state's
decision making.
I have been reading Thomas Homer-Dixon's *Environment, Scarcity, and
Violence* in which he feels that the state and civic society (and their
interrelationship) are key to prevent societal breakdown in his particular
analysis of pending environmental scarcities, but I think it may be appllied
to our concerns for humane work in the future.
He states "scholars of the state now widely ackowledge the indistinct nature
of the boundary between the state and civil society. Some important
scholarlship currently focuses on the circumstanes under which the
relationship between the state and civil society is either mutually
empowering or mutually debilitating. Many scholars now argue that the
state's strength is enhanced by a vigorous civil societiy that instills
habits of trust, reciprocity, and civic engagement in the populace; that
provides information to the state on the interest, desires, and concerns of
social groups; and that collaborates with the state on the local
implementation of state policies."
He proposes a ( on pg. 100)Table of Indicators of State Capacity (to prevent
social breakdown) as follows:
Human Capital -The techncial and managerial skill level of individuals of
the state
Instumental Rationality - The ability of state's components of gather and
evaluate information relevent to interests and make decisions
Coherence- The degree to which the state's components agree and act on
shared ideological bases, objectives, methods.
Also, the ability of these components to communciate and
consturctively debate ideas, information and policies
Resilience- The state's capacitiy to absorb sudden shocks, to adapt to
longer-term changes in socioenocmic conditions, and to
resolve societal disputes sustainably.
Autonomy- The extent to which the state can act independently of external
forces, both domestic and international and co-opt those
that would alter or constrain its actions
Fiscal Resources- The financial capicity of the state or of a given
component of the state. The capacity is a function of both current and
reasonably feasible revenue streams as well as demands on
that revenue
Reach and Responsiveness-- The degree to which the state is successful in
extending its ideology, sociopolitical structures and
administrative apparatus throughout the society ;* and*
the responsiveness of these structures and apparatus to the society
Legitamacy- The strength of the state's moral authority; i.e. the extent to
which the populace obeys itscommands out of a sense of
allegiance and duty, rather than as a result of coercion
or economic incentive.
I know Walter Stewart's book and many other of our discussions about the
state and the events in Iran this week are all pretty discouraging, but as
Homer-Dixon states (or understates), "research suggests that one institution
in particular, the state, is * key*."
tom abeles wrote:
> I think that Arthur's concerns about the prevention of the loss of and
> potential restoration of the "broad middle class" needs some serious
> addressment.
>
> First we have to add an element of time to the consideration along with
> the idea that we are living in a world where change is the norm and not
> the exception. Think about the bell shaped curve as you would a snapshot
> of a wave pattern as in the ocean where the peaks and troughs change
> over time both in location and size. Within the history of human
> existance, from pre agrarian to post industrial, the condition of humans
> in a societal context, at different points of theglobe, had differing
> distributions. The current western world's bell shapped curve is just a
> very short snapshot in this history and at one location.
>
> There are many factors which affect a wave, many beyond the immdiate
> control of those who are riding on the crest. Who knows what a small
> pebble dropped in the pool might cause and who knows what larger winds
> are marshalling their forces off the shore?
>
> Time and change...ebb and flow. the micro has been zeroed out often
> because it seems inconsequential. The macro is so large that we assume
> it to be a static background. We have concerned outselves with a short
> term, static window and, perhaps it is time to change our perspectives
>
> thoughts?
>
> tom abeles
