As democracy spreads around the world,"the realization is growing that a nation's political future, its economic strength, its national vitality, and its very identity will be shaped by the creation of better, more transparent government in partnership with a vibrant civil society," according to J. Brian Atwood, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), who explores this partnership in an adaptation of an October 1997 speech to a nonprofit group in the Dominican Republic.

In villages and cities around the globe, people are coming to view democracy as a necessity, not a luxury. They are beginning to understand that good governance is not an alien idea, and that appeals to patriotism are no substitute for participation and empowerment. The realization is growing that a nation's political future, its economic strength, its national vitality and its very identity will be shaped by the creation of better, more transparent government in partnership with a vibrant civil society.

I cannot help but be struck by the dramatic differences between today and when I first started at the National Democratic Institute in the 1980s. At that time, we had so many countries around the world where democracy seemed like an impossible dream. The generals and the dictators far outnumbered the democratically elected presidents and prime ministers.

But 10 years later, we have seen a remarkable transformation. The hard work and commitment of citizens on every continent have taken root. We have come farther in those 10 years than even the most optimistic could have hoped. In many areas such as Latin America and Eastern Europe, democracy is now the standard, not the exception. But we can hardly rest on our laurels. As President Jimmy Carter once noted, "The experience of democracy is like the experience of life itself -- always changing, infinite in its variety, sometimes turbulent and all the more valuable for having been tested by adversity."

MAKING GOVERNMENT BETTER

I think all of us involved in building democracy could testify to the occasional -- and sometimes more than occasional -- turbulence. But amid the adversity, we have always found a great bond between people working to promote democracy. Clearly, the role of civil society in advancing reform and modernization of political and economic systems is vital. The role of civil society is mentioned with great frequency in the press and by political leaders around the globe. Sometimes the role of community groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOS) is lauded, other times it is criticized. This is probably a good sign that those groups must be doing something right.

The role that forces outside of government should play in strengthening democracy is debated not only in Latin America, but throughout the world, whether it be in an established democracy in Western Europe or a fledgling democracy in Haiti. Just look at the aspiring democracies of the African continent, and especially of Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union, where each day is a struggle to forge the identity of community in relation to democracy, the openness of basic systems and the role of the individual versus the state. In this past year, for example, USAID worked with Eritrea, South Africa and Uganda to draft new constitutions. These constitutions were made much richer documents because they were widely publicized and because civic organizations had significant input into their drafting.

USAID administrator Brian Atwood discusses environmental issues with NGO leaders in Egypt.

What is clear is that governments and non-governmental actors must strike a fair balance, born out of mutual respect. Governments need to respect the rights of citizens to organize, and citizens must give their institutions the ability to govern effectively. Only by working together -- despite the occasional tensions -- will the will of the people be served. Civil society can play a key role in public advocacy, policy analysis, mobilizing constituencies in support of reform and by serving as watchdogs in assuring accountability.

Groups formed by citizens eager to improve their society can advocate, educate and mobilize attention around major public issues and monitor the conduct and achievements of public officials. Obviously, these are functions which the press and public figures may not always enjoy, but that makes them all the more important. But in every case, citizen activists must remember the goal is to make government better, not to tear down public institutions.

ESSENTIALS OF DEMOCRACY

A strong and active civil society fosters three elements essential for democracy: accountability, participation and continuing momentum for political reform. By its very nature, the concept of good governance requires accountability from political and bureaucratic institutions. Strong and sustained pressure by civil society is needed to achieve success in the fight against corruption in public institutions. Without this pressure, it is likely that the campaign against corruption would be reduced to little more than hollow demagoguery.

A well-organized civil society empowers the poor and enhances their collective voice in the political process. Civil society organizations serve as educators of citizens regarding their rights and responsibilities. They motivate citizens to struggle for the rights that hold the key to a better life.

Admittedly, the best allies of lasting reform of the political system are often found outside the government. However, one needs government and civil society working together to achieve real reform. Nobody should think that civil society is a substitute for political parties or responsible political leadership. Quite the contrary. It is not an issue of civil society instead of political parties, but rather, civil society as a necessary complement to political parties.

Nor would it be correct to think that civil society is by nature anti-government. We have seen many examples of government-private partnerships that have both strengthened public policy and bolstered civic organizations at the same time. In Nepal, for example, a focus on promoting women's literacy through NGOs helped eventually spark a supreme court decision to overturn discriminatory inheritance laws. In Namibia, an open dialogue between NGOs and the legislature led to both a greater public advocacy role for NGOs and greater transparency in how the legislature makes its decisions.

FINDING SOLUTIONS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

I would be remiss to limit a discussion of civil society to those groups and institutions that work at the national level. Democracy has to allow for the majority to speak up. This majority, often located in shanty towns of large cities and dispersed throughout the countryside, has a different vision from the professionals and academics of the middle class.

The everyday problems of getting by are what interest them. The words "civil society" mean nothing. To ask a man or woman who is hungry about their opinion of civil society is to ignore the fact that they are most concerned with their pressing needs. The principals of democratic theory must be translated into everyday language, and we must be able to show a clear and bright line linking democracy and improvements in people's standard of living.

The majority of citizens in virtually every country are worried about problems at the local level. They want to participate, but to participate in finding solutions to immediate problems that affect their communities -- the need for good schools and health centers, the need for better streets and transportation, plans that will get their families electricity and water, programs that will make it easier for them to get their goods to market. People want to have a say in the management of issues they care about. This can only be achieved if they participate in decisions at the local level.

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

The challenge in newly established democracies is to decentralize political power. Not by replacing a national "strongman" with hundreds of local "strongmen," but through citizen participation in each and every one of the municipalities throughout the country. Many civil society organizations around the world have concentrated on providing financial support to activities that promote this struggle in favor of citizen participation at the local and regional levels. I believe that the planting of these seeds of democracy will soon bear fruit.

In the post-Cold War world, the landscape is being shaped by two great ideas: democracy and open markets. In both international and regional fora, we see agendas dominated by issues of good governance and improving relations among neighbors who often used to be at odds with one another.

It is precisely the characteristics that make democracy sometimes noisy and unsettling that also give it such vitality and flexibility. By hammering out our differences openly, we almost always arrive at decisions that better serve everyone. By being inclusive and viewing political adversaries as competitors -- not as enemies -- citizens can safeguard their democracies.

Issues of Democracy
USIA Electronic Journal, Vol. 3, No. 1, January 1998