The Consolidation of Democracy — Debate in Africa: Challenges for the Civil Community

This chapter argues that civil society needs distance from the State. It explains the role of and ways to strengthen civil society. The chapter describes that the African context democracy is open to many mutations and therefore cannot be restricted one-sidedly. The modern state and its development are closely linked with the notion of democracy. The debate around development is also closely linked with democracy or democratisation. While African theorists have embarked on a fairly wide range of work pertaining democracy, it was seldom approached in a broad overarching programme. Civil societies usurped by state, or by institutions of mere profit may weaken a democracy by disempowering the very people for which the initial changes was meant. The most favourable fusion between state and civil society for sustainable development through redistribution and guaranteed democratic practices is still a long way off in states such as South Africa, Turkey, Zambia and Nigeria.