THE STATE AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN AFRICA: A NORTH AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE

Resumo

The concept of civil society is one of the most controversial in cultural
and political circles in both of the Arab and African Worlds. Yet, it did
not receive the appropriate attention of both its advocates and its
detractors, who consider it to be the product of an alien civilization.
Furthermore, the concept of civil Society was misused for political
purposes, as, for example, some North African States reverted to it in
order to exclude the formations of political Islam. On the other hand,
Arab movements of opposition and political dissent, resort to the same
concept to entrench themselves against state oppression and
authoritarianism. Thus this study is based on the premise that the
existence of a real Civil Society, independent of both State and Family,
and based on the concepts of civilization and tolerance, will lead to
full integration on all national, regional and continental levels.