210
the natural environment is extremely difficult in
such countries thus its degradation is inevitable.
The fact is that a country does not have to be
necessarily autocratic to place production and
consumption ahead as these are the bases of sustaining the society and the intense increase of
these inevitably results in the degradation of the
environment if no environmental protection measures are taken in the meantime.
5.3
Global Civil Society
Nation-states nowadays pay little attention and
energy to solve the global problems of humanity.
Civil movements focusing on environmental protection, elimination of poverty and other problems multiplied since the 1970s. The terms
“global” and “civil society” became popular
already in the 1990s and they were soon connected and the term “global civic society” (GCS)
was also widely used. The first yearbook on the
global civic society (GCS) was published in 2001
(Anheier et al. 2001) and the second one year
later by the same editors. Works regarded as the
theoretical basis of GCS were published in these
two volumes.
The term was also interpreted in multiple
ways and debated over in numerous social science forums (Anheier et al. 2001) but complete
consensus yet to be achieved. The authors of the
present book wish not to delve into this pointless
dispute therefore the use of the term in this book
is made clear below.
Accepting the main elements of the definition
of Anheier et al. (2001) “global civil society”
means the sphere of ideas, values, institutes,
organisations, networks and individuals outside
the institutional complexes of family, state and
market and operates crossing over national
boundaries.
Elements of the global civil society are the
following:
• Organisations, alliances and networks as the
infrastructure of the global civil society.
International non-governmental organisations
(NGOs), other civil social organisations,
cross-border social movements and transnational networks, professional networks, partnerships related to twin city/brother city
programmes, Internet groups and forums can
be classified here.
• Individuals: people suitable to drive the civil
society with their readiness, information,
organisational skills. They can be activists,
internationally mobile professionals, leaders
of civil organisations. They have to show civil
values like tolerance, solidarity and
compassion.
Appearance
of
international
nongovernmental organisations in social life is not a
new phenomenon. The International Committee
of the Red Cross was founded by Henri Dunant
in 1864 after the battle of Solferino. Since then
more and more NGOs were founded and in 1914
their number grew to 1083 (Chatfield 1997) and
to 47,000 by 2000 (Anheier et al. 2001).
Nowadays this social and political field above
nations is rather widespread and influences
numerous fields of our life. The accurate number
of NGOs is not known but if all types are considered around 10 million such organisation could
work worldwide. (Including smaller groups
working within counties as well.)
In founding sustainable development nonprofit organisations related to nature and environmental
protection
(Environmental
NGOs = ENGOs) like GREENPEACE, WWF
(World Wide Fund for Nature), IUCN
(International Union for Conservation of Nature),
INFORCE (International Network for Sustainable
Energy) are very important. These call attention
for global environmental problems not only with
actions but also contribute to shaping the environmental attitude, establishing forest schools,
maintaining urban green areas, defining nature
protection areas and protecting natural values in
practice.
New types of solidarity movements are no less
important as they help those who need them in
fighting against social injustice resulted by
unlimited global capitalism.
The majority of the global civil community is
considered to be reformist by Anheier et al.
5 Structure and Operation of the Global Society (Anthroposphere)
the natural environment is extremely difficult in
such countries thus its degradation is inevitable.
The fact is that a country does not have to be
necessarily autocratic to place production and
consumption ahead as these are the bases of sustaining the society and the intense increase of
these inevitably results in the degradation of the
environment if no environmental protection measures are taken in the meantime.
5.3
Global Civil Society
Nation-states nowadays pay little attention and
energy to solve the global problems of humanity.
Civil movements focusing on environmental protection, elimination of poverty and other problems multiplied since the 1970s. The terms
“global” and “civil society” became popular
already in the 1990s and they were soon connected and the term “global civic society” (GCS)
was also widely used. The first yearbook on the
global civic society (GCS) was published in 2001
(Anheier et al. 2001) and the second one year
later by the same editors. Works regarded as the
theoretical basis of GCS were published in these
two volumes.
The term was also interpreted in multiple
ways and debated over in numerous social science forums (Anheier et al. 2001) but complete
consensus yet to be achieved. The authors of the
present book wish not to delve into this pointless
dispute therefore the use of the term in this book
is made clear below.
Accepting the main elements of the definition
of Anheier et al. (2001) “global civil society”
means the sphere of ideas, values, institutes,
organisations, networks and individuals outside
the institutional complexes of family, state and
market and operates crossing over national
boundaries.
Elements of the global civil society are the
following:
• Organisations, alliances and networks as the
infrastructure of the global civil society.
International non-governmental organisations
(NGOs), other civil social organisations,
cross-border social movements and transnational networks, professional networks, partnerships related to twin city/brother city
programmes, Internet groups and forums can
be classified here.
• Individuals: people suitable to drive the civil
society with their readiness, information,
organisational skills. They can be activists,
internationally mobile professionals, leaders
of civil organisations. They have to show civil
values like tolerance, solidarity and
compassion.
Appearance
of
international
nongovernmental organisations in social life is not a
new phenomenon. The International Committee
of the Red Cross was founded by Henri Dunant
in 1864 after the battle of Solferino. Since then
more and more NGOs were founded and in 1914
their number grew to 1083 (Chatfield 1997) and
to 47,000 by 2000 (Anheier et al. 2001).
Nowadays this social and political field above
nations is rather widespread and influences
numerous fields of our life. The accurate number
of NGOs is not known but if all types are considered around 10 million such organisation could
work worldwide. (Including smaller groups
working within counties as well.)
In founding sustainable development nonprofit organisations related to nature and environmental
protection
(Environmental
NGOs = ENGOs) like GREENPEACE, WWF
(World Wide Fund for Nature), IUCN
(International Union for Conservation of Nature),
INFORCE (International Network for Sustainable
Energy) are very important. These call attention
for global environmental problems not only with
actions but also contribute to shaping the environmental attitude, establishing forest schools,
maintaining urban green areas, defining nature
protection areas and protecting natural values in
practice.
New types of solidarity movements are no less
important as they help those who need them in
fighting against social injustice resulted by
unlimited global capitalism.
The majority of the global civil community is
considered to be reformist by Anheier et al.
5 Structure and Operation of the Global Society (Anthroposphere)