The ‘State-Society’ Myth In Civil Society Theory: Reconceptualizations of Sovereignty and Power In The Context of Minimal State Capacity

Abstract

Civil society literature presupposes a substantive amount of state capacity, due its Eurocentric development, as well as the African context of colonial and state repression that catalyzed the revival of scholarly interest in civil society. It is important to examine the relationship between society and state due to the universal acceptance of, and lack of alternatives to, the Westphalian state system. However, in many cases civil society literature, which seeks to delineate the relationship between state and society (both local and global), has been invoked to examine the development capacity of non-state civic institutions, organizations, and efforts. By maintaining the traditional ‘state-society’ perspective, theorists have reduced their utility in scenarios where state capacity is extremely limited. This article will argue that the predominant ‘state-society’ perspective that frames civil society literature should not be utilized to examine civic action in areas where state capacity is minimal or nonexistent. The fractured nature of sovereignty in the globalized era will be invoked to justify the claim that the state no longer is guaranteed a substantial role within the African development process. As such, civil society literature must disregard the supremacy of the ‘state-society’ perspective, in order to acknowledge the empirical flows of power that occur (when state capacity is lacking) between local and global civic elements, outside of the realm of state influence. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will be used as the main exemplar, however the author holds that the theory entailed within holds for all African regions where state capacity lacks.