Abstract
This chapter presents an account of the social origins of civility in the course of an argument distinguishing civility from civil society—or, rather, insisting that civility must be included in the definition of civil society if that concept is to carry the weight placed upon it. Civil society is a form of societal self-organization that allows for cooperation with the state while permitting individuation. The chapter argues that civil society only “makes sense” when it contains a heavy dose of civility. The initial breakthrough to civilized acceptance of difference in Europe obviously predated the emergence of capitalism. However, capitalism did have something to do with the establishment of a culture of political civility in England, for soft political rule was not always present there; on the contrary, it was a historical achievement.
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