FACULTY OF SOCIAL AND HUMAN SCIENCIES – NEW UNIVERSITY OF LISBON

DEMOCRACY BEYOND THE STATE

Case Study: Good Governance in Social NGOs, in Portugal

ESA CONFERENCECIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

AREA: SOCIETAL ROLE, CHALLENGES, DYNAMICSSassari, 1-2 October 2012

Camila Rodrigues

Theory of Participatory Democracy

• The existence of representative institutions at a national level does not constitute a sufficient guarantee of democratic quality.

• Socialization for democracy should occur in varied social spheres, so that the desirable psychological traits can be developed through the participatory experience, which possesses educational and integrative functions.

• The development of civic virtues is particularly important for social groups of lower socio-economic status, since it enhances political equality, through the promotion of their access to the governance mechanisms that affect them.

How far should participation go?

• Is it possible, and desirable, to democratize structures of authority beyond the state?

• Can NGOs contribute to enhance democracy unless they are themselves democratic?

Case Study

“The participation of Social NGOs in the European Strategy for Social

Inclusion , in Portugal”

FINGIS

Non Governmental Forum for Social Inclusion

DIMENSIONS

1) Representativeness

2) Democratic Governance Mechanisms

3) Political Socialization

4) Independence

5) Effectiveness

1) Representativeness•Initiative

•Access

•ProportionIndicators

Limited representativeness• Positive discrimination - the «most politically

active» social NGOs were favored – invitation for the executive secretariat

• Limited mobilization - the «moderately politically active» responded to the call – application for membership

• Selective exclusion – the «least politically active» did not respond to the call – absence of participation

2) Democratic Governance Mechanisms•internal division of

powers

•transparency of the decisional process

•rotativity of the executive body

Indicators

Limited democratic governance

• «Crystallization»: The FNGIS presented a formal concern with the internal division of powers, the transparency of the decisional process and the rotativity of the executive body, but in practice the rotativity was not implemented

3) Political Socialization

•Recomendation of participation

•Practice of participation

Indicators

Limited political socialization

• Incoherence: the involvement of the target groups in the political process was formally stated but in practice the FNGIS did not promote such involvement

4) Independence•Public funding

•Private funding

•Own fundingIndicator

Lack of independence

• Conflict of interests: the FNGIS received funding mostly from the political agents it was supposed to supervise

5) Effectiveness

•Influence

•AdequacyIndicators

Limited Effectiveness

• Recognition: the FNGIS was legitimately accepted as a consulting platform by the political agents, that took its recommendations into account

• Up-Bottom process: the political priorities were determined at the EU and national levels, so the FNGIS’ contribution was limited

The problem starts with the lack of capacity the NGOs evidence wile promoting participation,

which is understandable because participation implies sharing the power with the service users

and recognizing them as peers, as equals. For that to happen people must have a different notion of an organization, which is a highly hierarquical structure, with several degrees,

from the managers, to the social workers, to the service users. There is still a long way to go before participation can become effective.

CONCLUSION

The Portuguese social NGOs did not constitute an effective link between the social groups of lower socio-economic status and the Strategy for Social Inclusion, that targeted them.

If the SG-LSES’ interests are represented through intermediaries that don’t involve them in their own internal structure, activities and decisions, then all the potential participation has to offer is hindered rather them enhanced, and the promotion of an active citizenship is not more than mere rhetoric.