Civil society

1
Civil society

• Toure Scott, Matt White,
• Black Betty, Brent Young

2
Definition

• Civil society refers to an overlapping network of
  civic associations that binds a population into a
  society autonomous of the state.(Richter 1998,1)
• Free from government help and control
• Encourages neighbors to support one who falls on
  hard times

3
Pete Seeger

• Credited with staring the folk-protest movement
  of the late 50s/60s
• Firm believer of workers rights, has established
  numerous non-government organizations for this
  cause
• Challenged government actions by not taking the
  5th during the McCarthy Hearings
• "I like to say I'm more conservative than
  Goldwater. He just wanted to turn the clock back
  to when there was no income tax. I want to turn
  the clock back to when people lived in small
  villages and took care of each other.

4
Hudson River Sloop Clearwater

• Due to urban industry, the Hudson river became
  polluted
• The government could do nothing to help alleviate
  the pillaging on the surrounding environment
• In 1969, Pete Seeger established an organization
  that educated the public on the effects of
  pollution and help clean the river
• The river has improved to the point of allowing
  people to swim in certain parts of it
• Every year, Seeger host the Sloop Clearwater folk
  concert to raise awareness and allow scientist to
  study the river aboard the Sloop Clearwater

5
Importance

• Allows citizens a degree of self control and self
  support
• Community relief more quickly
• Former Communist countries are having trouble
  establishing a civil society due to their long
  dependence on the state for help

6

• Dear cathedral students,
• I was delighted to learn of your Yui project, and
  the interest you have shown in my role in the
  continuation of civil society. When I got your
  letter telling me about your Yui project and saw
  the interest in my position as a Historical
  figure I was truly impressed. To answer your
  question on why I became so involved in the
  restoration of civil society in truth it was a
  product of my time. During my adult years I began
  to notice the lack of community care the united
  states had. This became more prevalent during the
  1950s with the scare of the cold war and Russian
  spies. I was shocked at how fast people would let
  their neighbor's lives be destroyed by political
  talk.
• As you know I also founded the sloop Clearwater
  foundation in 1969 in hopes of saving not only
  the environment, but the lives of the people in
  the Hudson river valley. During this endeavor I
  moved in to a small town in new York. To me this
  town embodies the true heart of civil society to
  a tee. The people here keep their sense of self
  and community with their small business and
  weekly community dinners. Once again thank you
  for your letter and interest in my strives to
  preserve civil society
• Peter Seeger