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““Power Shift”Power Shift”Jessica Matthews, Ch. 34, pp. 287-Jessica Matthews, Ch. 34, pp. 287-293. Excerpted from Matthews, 293. Excerpted from Matthews, “Power Shift,” “Power Shift,” Foreign AffairsForeign Affairs, ,

76:1, 1997, pp. 50-66.76:1, 1997, pp. 50-66.

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Key questions:Key questions: What is the nature of this “power shift”?What is the nature of this “power shift”?

– and its causes/effects?and its causes/effects? Advantages/disadvantages of NGOs providing Advantages/disadvantages of NGOs providing

services once the responsibility of states?services once the responsibility of states? Is technology creating a “global civil society”? Is technology creating a “global civil society”? Does the influence of int’l NGOs constitute Does the influence of int’l NGOs constitute

““neo-colonialism”?neo-colonialism”?– Are int’l NGO workers members of the TCC?Are int’l NGO workers members of the TCC?

What does the rise of NGOs mean for democracy?What does the rise of NGOs mean for democracy?

Key terms: civil society, NGOs, global civil societyKey terms: civil society, NGOs, global civil society

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The Rise of Global Civil The Rise of Global Civil SocietySociety

End of Cold War brought a End of Cold War brought a redistribution of power among states, redistribution of power among states, markets, and markets, and civil societycivil society

National gov’ts are National gov’ts are sharing powerssharing powers – – incl political, social & security roles at incl political, social & security roles at core of sovereignty – with businesses, core of sovereignty – with businesses, int’l organizations, and range of int’l organizations, and range of citizens groups, known as citizens groups, known as NGOsNGOs– Gov’ts are not simply losing autonomy in Gov’ts are not simply losing autonomy in

a globalizing economya globalizing economy

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……and the Decline of Statesand the Decline of States

Absolutes of Westphalian system – Absolutes of Westphalian system – territorially fixed states; a single, territorially fixed states; a single, secular authority governing each secular authority governing each territory and representing it outside territory and representing it outside its borders; no authority above states its borders; no authority above states – are all dissolving – are all dissolving – Int’l standards of conduct are gradually Int’l standards of conduct are gradually

beginning to override claims of national beginning to override claims of national sovereigntysovereignty

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As states weaken, nonstate As states weaken, nonstate actors acquire more power actors acquire more power

globallyglobally New info/communication technologies are New info/communication technologies are

most powerful engine in the relative most powerful engine in the relative decline of states and rise of nonstate decline of states and rise of nonstate actors (e.g., NGOs, as well as TNCs, actors (e.g., NGOs, as well as TNCs, criminal and terrorist networks, etc.)criminal and terrorist networks, etc.)– They disrupt hierarchies, spread power among They disrupt hierarchies, spread power among

more people and groupsmore people and groups– But they also have the potential to create new But they also have the potential to create new

divisions, separating ordinary people from divisions, separating ordinary people from elites with wealth & education to command elites with wealth & education to command technology’s powertechnology’s power

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The Network ModelThe Network Model

In In networksnetworks, individuals or groups link for , individuals or groups link for joint action without building a physical or joint action without building a physical or formal institutional presenceformal institutional presence– Networks have no person at the top and no Networks have no person at the top and no

centercenter– Networks have multiple nodes where Networks have multiple nodes where

collections of individuals/groups interact for collections of individuals/groups interact for different purposes, e.g., businesses, ethnic different purposes, e.g., businesses, ethnic groups, crime cartelsgroups, crime cartels

Gov’ts, by contrast, are quintessential Gov’ts, by contrast, are quintessential hierarchies hierarchies

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Global Civil Society?Global Civil Society? civil societycivil society: arena of social activity outside of state & family : arena of social activity outside of state & family

– commonly understood to be composed of the range of voluntary commonly understood to be composed of the range of voluntary organizations that operate on a not-for-profit basis, outside the organizations that operate on a not-for-profit basis, outside the market market

– NGOs are key actors NGOs are key actors NGO: (nongovernmental organization): voluntary (nongovernmental organization): voluntary

organization not part of the local, state, or federal organization not part of the local, state, or federal government that is established for a particular cause or government that is established for a particular cause or interest, e.g., human rights, the environment, consumer interest, e.g., human rights, the environment, consumer protection, etc.; also known as "citizen groups“protection, etc.; also known as "citizen groups“

global civil society:global civil society: refers to voluntary social organization refers to voluntary social organization at the global level, in international institutions such as the UN, at the global level, in international institutions such as the UN, the IMF/World Bank, the World Social Forum, etc.; it is the IMF/World Bank, the World Social Forum, etc.; it is composed of the network of nongovernmental organizations composed of the network of nongovernmental organizations that focus on international issues (INGOs, international that focus on international issues (INGOs, international nongovernmental organizations) or cooperate and collaborate nongovernmental organizations) or cooperate and collaborate across bordersacross borders

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Is global civil society a new Is global civil society a new Babel – or a new global elite?Babel – or a new global elite?

New technologies and forms of organization New technologies and forms of organization may promote "political and social may promote "political and social fragmentation by enabling more and more fragmentation by enabling more and more identities and interests scattered around the identities and interests scattered around the globe to coalesce and thrive“globe to coalesce and thrive“

Citizens’ groups with transnational Citizens’ groups with transnational interests/identities – just like the super-rich – interests/identities – just like the super-rich – frequently have more in common with frequently have more in common with counterparts in other countries, counterparts in other countries, industrialized or developing, than with industrialized or developing, than with countrymen countrymen

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The Boomerang PatternThe Boomerang Pattern

Researchers studying Researchers studying transnational transnational advocacy networksadvocacy networks that link NGOs across that link NGOs across borders highlight a new pattern of political borders highlight a new pattern of political changechange

boomerang patternboomerang pattern: State A blocks redress : State A blocks redress to organizations within it; they activate to organizations within it; they activate network, whose members pressure their network, whose members pressure their own states and (if relevant) a 3own states and (if relevant) a 3rdrd-party -party organization, which in turn pressure State organization, which in turn pressure State AA

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Advantages of NGOsAdvantages of NGOs

In many countries they deliver services In many countries they deliver services that faltering gov’ts can no longer managethat faltering gov’ts can no longer manage

NGOs are nimble, quicker to respond to NGOs are nimble, quicker to respond to new demands and opportunitiesnew demands and opportunities

Their loyalties and orientation are better Their loyalties and orientation are better matched than those of gov’ts to problems matched than those of gov’ts to problems that demand transnational solutionsthat demand transnational solutions

In closed, undemocratic regimes, local In closed, undemocratic regimes, local NGOs can leverage transnational links to NGOs can leverage transnational links to pressure their gov’ts pressure their gov’ts

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Disadvantages of NGOsDisadvantages of NGOs NGOs are special interests, accountable to NGOs are special interests, accountable to

their funderstheir funders NGOs have limited capacity for large-scale NGOs have limited capacity for large-scale

projects, and as they grow, the need to projects, and as they grow, the need to sustain growing budgets can compromise sustain growing budgets can compromise their independencetheir independence

The growth of NGOs may be used to justify The growth of NGOs may be used to justify government downsizing, further government downsizing, further undermining state authority and capacityundermining state authority and capacity

There are roles that only the state can There are roles that only the state can performperform– e.g., employment security, environmental e.g., employment security, environmental

protection, consumer protection, health and protection, consumer protection, health and safety, national securitysafety, national security

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DemocracyDemocracy

Democracy is a certain class of relations Democracy is a certain class of relations between states and citizensbetween states and citizens

A regime is democratic to the degree that A regime is democratic to the degree that political relations between state & citizens political relations between state & citizens feature broad, equal, protected and mutually feature broad, equal, protected and mutually binding consultationbinding consultation= broad & equal citizenship and protected = broad & equal citizenship and protected

consultationconsultation(Tilly, (Tilly, Democracy,Democracy, 2007) 2007)

What happens to mutually binding What happens to mutually binding consultation in a state dominated by NGOs? consultation in a state dominated by NGOs? – Accountability problemAccountability problem

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Is “Culture” the Problem?Is “Culture” the Problem? David Brooks, “The Underlying Tragedy,” David Brooks, “The Underlying Tragedy,” NYTNYT, 1/14/2010, 1/14/2010

“…“…it is time to put the thorny issue of culture at the center of efforts it is time to put the thorny issue of culture at the center of efforts to tackle global poverty. Why is Haiti so poor? Well, it has a history of to tackle global poverty. Why is Haiti so poor? Well, it has a history of oppression, slavery and colonialism. But so does Barbados, and oppression, slavery and colonialism. But so does Barbados, and Barbados is doing pretty well. Haiti has endured ruthless dictators, Barbados is doing pretty well. Haiti has endured ruthless dictators, corruption and foreign invasions. But so has the Dominican Republic, corruption and foreign invasions. But so has the Dominican Republic, and the D.R. is in much better shape. Haiti and the Dominican and the D.R. is in much better shape. Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the same island and the same basic environment, yet Republic share the same island and the same basic environment, yet the border between the two societies offers one of the starkest the border between the two societies offers one of the starkest contrasts on earth — with trees and progress on one side, and contrasts on earth — with trees and progress on one side, and deforestation and poverty and early death on the other.deforestation and poverty and early death on the other.

As Lawrence E. Harrison explained in his book “The Central Liberal Truth,” As Lawrence E. Harrison explained in his book “The Central Liberal Truth,” Haiti, like most of the world’s poorest nations, suffers from a complex web Haiti, like most of the world’s poorest nations, suffers from a complex web of progress-resistant cultural influences. There is the influence of the of progress-resistant cultural influences. There is the influence of the voodoo religion, which spreads the message that life is capricious and voodoo religion, which spreads the message that life is capricious and planning futile. There are high levels of social mistrust. Responsibility is planning futile. There are high levels of social mistrust. Responsibility is often not internalized. Child-rearing practices often involve neglect in the often not internalized. Child-rearing practices often involve neglect in the early years and harsh retribution when kids hit 9 or 10.early years and harsh retribution when kids hit 9 or 10.

We’re all supposed to politely respect each other’s cultures. But We’re all supposed to politely respect each other’s cultures. But some cultures are more progress-resistant than others, and a horrible some cultures are more progress-resistant than others, and a horrible tragedy was just exacerbated by one of them.”tragedy was just exacerbated by one of them.”

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Or the history of Or the history of colonialism?colonialism?

Jesse Lemisch, “George Clooney’s Haiti – and Beyond,” New Politics, on the Haiti telethon http://www.newpol.org/node/205

“But, in most of the show, politics were verboten, as was anything about the history of the place. This left the audience to think that a terrible natural disaster had befallen Haiti, but ignorant of: the country's origins in a successful slave rebellion (with US support for French efforts to crush it); more than a century of French draining the economy for the money value of the slaves they had lost; nineteen years of occupation by the US Marines; US complicity with the Duvaliers; after earlier support, exiling of Jean-Bertrand Aristide on a US plane; the banning of the left party, Lavalas; the crimes committed against the Haitian economy by neoliberal economics via such institutions as the IMF (which, amidst the earthquake announced a wage freeze for public employees in Haiti.).

This all added up to an unnatural disaster: enormous poverty, flight from the countryside to the city as the result of the destruction of Haitian agriculture by US dumping (rice) and the promise of low-wage manufacturing jobs (which didn't materialize); once crowded in the city, they put anything over their heads that they could, and of course these poor structures easily collapsed. Cutting down trees to make charcoal was one of the few ways of getting money, and that produced deforestation which produced floods. It denies history to see the US as free of responsibility for these things….Brooks has all but told us that they are a nation of welfare queens.”