MOST people use the terms “civic” and “civil” interchangeably; however, these concepts differ significantly, despite some areas of overlap. Understanding the distinction is essential to effectively chart a way forward for an important national initiative of President Irfaan Ali.
During the Diwali celebrations, President Ali called upon faith leaders in churches, mosques, and temples to join forces with the government in addressing social challenges like gambling, addiction and a marked decline in values and morality. He emphasised that economic transformation is limited without a solid ethical foundation.
To help guide the conversation and devise a robust plan of action, faith leaders must first embrace civil engagement as much as, if not more than, fulfilling their civic responsibilities. “Civic” comes from “Ci-vis” or “Civi-cus”, Latin terms that denote the role, duties and responsibilities of a “citizen” to one’s country. Participating in the electoral process, such as voting or even campaigning, is a key aspect of civic responsibility. When there is low voter turnout, political pundits describe this as evidence of poor civic engagement.
In the lead-up to the September 1 vote, there was clear evidence that faith communities across the board were displaying some degree of civic engagement. I say ‘some’ because I have nothing to compare it with. A crucial question arises at this point: What happens when civic society fails to serve the citizens of a country? In other words, what happens when a government tramples upon the rights of its citizens and ignores their needs?
At this juncture, the role of civil society becomes critical. In authoritarian systems, the state systematically weakens or co-opts civil institutions, depriving them of agency and undermining their ability to act as a check on state authority. Wherever this has taken place in modern history, civil unrest, civil war, coups d’tats, or outright revolutions often occur.
In mature political economies, civil society usually works alongside the state to achieve the common good. The common good is often defined as ‘convention’ or ‘tradition’, i.e. the norms and values that a majority of citizens hold in common.
Allow me to offer an example from the Classics. At the end of Homer’s Iliad, the warrior Achilles drags the dead body of Hector in the dust around the walls of the city until, finally, upon the command of Zeus, on payment of a large ransom, Achilles delivers the body for proper burial. “Thus held they funeral for Hector, Tamer of Horses,” writes Homer. Tradition or convention, such as performing the proper rites of burial, prevails, and it stills the troubled hearts of the people of Troy. The unburied dead were an atrocity, a barbaric act, too much for them to fathom.
Likewise, when the state fails its citizens, as seen when unarmed Black men and women are killed by police in the United States, it becomes civil society’s duty to protest, but always within the bounds of order and reason and never to the point of anarchy.
Civil society, therefore, is an independent sphere where faith groups, in particular, can take creative and autonomous steps to inspire citizens to live purposeful lives. The state cannot teach people how to be happy. What it can do is ensure that when you turn on the tap, there is clean water; when you switch on the light, there is electricity; that your children receive a proper education and, upon graduation, have access to decent jobs; and that when they grow old or fall ill, doctors and well-equipped hospitals are there to care for them.
The state cannot make people decent human beings. It cannot legislate courtesy, empathy, generosity, or forgiveness; these qualities come from civil society. President Ali grasps this fundamental truth. He recognises that his government can build roads and bridges, but it can’t put a police officer at every corner to enforce speed limits. It can arrest and prosecute men who abuse their wives, but it can’t stop a conflict before it starts.
No government passes a law requiring us to feed the poor or shelter the homeless, yet when we fail to do so, society as a whole bears the consequences.
No state by-law obliges us to treat our neighbours with courtesy, yet we do, and this is precisely why a vibrant civil society is indispensable. The state can legislate against hate speech, but it lacks the moral reach of a Pastor, an Imam, or a Pandit to awaken love and compassion for strangers in our hearts.
If we truly want to root out domestic abuse, bullying, cybercrime, and addictions to alcohol or gambling, civil society, especially faith groups and their leaders, must move beyond preaching. They must teach, from an early age, the virtues of courtesy, respect, empathy, and mercy.
President Ali recognises that while his administration can open the doors of prosperity, it cannot fulfil the deeper role of civil society. The state can inspire ambition, but it cannot teach people how to withstand disappointment or despair when life does not go their way.
As President Ali reminded the nation over the Diwali holidays, when civil society performs its role effectively, everything else begins to work better: education, the economy, public safety, and ultimately, democracy itself.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.