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Participation as an Essential Element of an Active Civil Society
possible solutions, up until the moment a concrete decision is made.
The diversity of interests and opinions that exist within a community
and the hierarchy of values and principles held by citizens will all play
a fundamental role in the decision-making process.
Participation in the implementation of decisions often results in the
reduction of state paternalism, and generates responsibility among
citizens, thus stimulating creativity and increasing solidarity. By means
of decentralization, communities can take on concrete responsibilities
and tasks related to the implementation of programs and public
policies, as long as they have the financial and technical means available.
Participation at the time of implementation also entails social oversight
to evaluate progresses and the proper functioning of what has been
accomplished. This will reduce administrative corruption and increase
the efficiency of public decisions. Participation in the implementation
of decisions implies that every entity of civil society has a special
vocation to lend in a field depending on their specialization. The rich
social fabric of the intermediary entities (civil society) creates an added
value that can aid the resolution of public problems. For example,
religious institutions have made great contributions in the fields of
education and health. Associations and chambers of commerce can
lend their expertise in the design and implementation of public policies
to increase production or foster small and medium-sized entrepreneurs.
Other entities such as universities, academies, civic associations,
neighborhood associations, unions, media and environmental groups
can similarly enrich the policy process. The contribution of any one
entity will ultimately depend on the nature and function of what
entities of civil society are present in a country.
Participation in the benefits implies that people, the individual and
the collective alike, must benefit from the public policies that were
crafted as a result of their participation. In this sense the individual is
both the author and the beneficiary of their own creation. Research
from the
Centro Gumilla
in Venezuela indicates that “one of the most
important factors for the development of a sense of community is
related to the availability of opportunities for people to solve and meet
