A Place for Us: How to Make Society Civil and Democracy Strong [Hardcover]

Benjamin R. Barber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 30, 1998

In our crowded, noisy world—too many people, too much crime, too many wars, not enough time—it seems almost impossible to locate and preserve the common ground where a civil society might flourish. Whatever happened to the civic virtue and community life that nourished true democracy?

In this provocative, hard-hitting book, political scientist Benjamin Barber tackles these questions head-on and, in answering them, retrieves the ideals of “civil society” from the nostalgists who want to re-create old-fashioned (and discriminatory) small communities and from the free-marketeers who associate it with unfettered commercial activity. Commentators have been making a fashion of civil society, but they tend to mean many different things by the phrase: this bracingly clear book shows how diverse the various notions are and how best to think about them.

Barber proposes practical strategies for making civil society real, for civilizing public discourse and promoting civic debate, and for affirming values beyond those of work and leisure, commerce and bureaucracy.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Although Democrats and Republicans alike have adopted anti-"big government" rhetoric, Benjamin Barber writes, "being against government does not necessarily produce a program on behalf of civil society." In fact, in a strong democracy, the two are inseparable: "Government is civil society's common arm, just as civil society is government's animating body." Barber champions the strong democratic tradition over libertarian models, which eliminate government influence in favor of unfettered markets (which, he argues, teach people to say "I want" rather than "we need") and communitarian models, which enforce conformity.

A Place for Us is a slim volume, but it contains a number of useful suggestions for maintaining a civil society that also preserves democratic ideals. Among those suggestions--the development of digital broadcast frequencies for civic use, the creation of more civic space on the Internet and World Wide Web, increased funding of the arts and humanities, and encouragement of increased civic responsibility on the part of corporations--which includes everything from nonexploitative labor practices to commitments to acknowledge uncommercialized public spaces. Barber has produced a book that can be read in about two hours, but should inform the thoughts of civic leaders for years. --Ron Hogan

From Booklist

Barber examines the concept of civil society, that "independent domain of free social life," a space of commonality that, controlled by neither government nor private industry, is available to all. He briefly describes the concept's history and the ways in which various groups have attempted to put concept into practice. After describing libertarian and communitarian models of civil society, he proposes a third, the strong democratic model. Arguing that neither government nor the private sector will guarantee a channel for the public voice, he calls individuals to take the first step in creating a civil society for themselves. He proposes six areas for legislative action in support of civil society, and he identifies nine characteristics of civil discourse--commonality, deliberation, inclusiveness, provisionality, listening, learning, lateral communication, imagination, and empowerment. So doing, Barber offers starting points for solving the problems--among them, those of voter apathy, inadequate education, and mistrust of special interest groups--that, in a democracy, arise from citizens' perceived disempowerment and disillusionment. Bonnie Johnston

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 172 pages
• Publisher: Hill and Wang; 1st edition (May 30, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809076578
• ISBN-13: 978-0809076574
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,295,894 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A colossal waste of time., May 9, 2005

By 

Robert J. Simmons (Lisle, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Place for Us: How to Make Society Civil and Democracy Strong (Hardcover)

A critical reader will notice that while Barber offers many warm, fuzzy sounding ideas, nearly all of them are rife with logical and practical inconsistencies which render them just that: warm fuzzy statements that are utterly lacking in substance. Beginning with a caricature of the libertarian model of civil society, Barber proceeds to set up a strawman position against which he will argue. The critical flaw in a civil society based on willing voluntary participation, in Barber's view, is that freedom cannot be tolerated because they will become "solitary greedy shoppers" (an attack against materialism, but a misplaced one) A civil society based on free markets and voluntary cooperation does not allow people to interact with one another. (a blatant mischaracterization at best, as people regularly form associations even in pure laissez-faire systems, a fact conveniently ignored) Yet these same people who are isolated materialistic consumers when left to their own devices will suddenly become actively engaged citizens if taxed more and are granted claims on private property.

Corporations are another target of Barber's, as they are the bane of democracy as we know it. Advertising creates demand in such a coercive manner that the market does not guide production, but the opposite. It seems odd to argue that people are so easily manipulated by mildly amusing talking chihuahuas, for example, are capable of having a meaningful discussion over technical matter of public policy. But further reading of Barber's piece will explain why the technicality of issues is really the problem. The aim of the policy development process is not so much to find solutions, but just to have discussions, therefor the issues should be broken down so that everyone can participate. While that may warm the heart, it won't get much done.
There are a number of other problematic claims that Barber makes. One of the most troubling is the call for "civic space," which is neither private nor government, yet the government will control it. To me, this sounds suspiciously like "government space," though claims it is not. The list goes on. To the prospective reader of this I can only offer a warning: you won't get the time spent reading this nonsense back, and probably not the money either.

5.0 out of 5 stars A very important work..., February 19, 2001

By 

Michael S. Abrams (Sao Paulo, Brazil) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Place for Us: How to Make Society Civil and Democracy Strong (Hardcover)

Sometimes a book comes along that helps you view the world around you with new eyes, and this is just such a book. Barber discusses the third, generally neglected, pillar of modern society; after government and the market comes the "civil society" in which we create our identities and find our deepest fulfillment. The entire book is fascinating, and the last chapter is downright visionary, wherein Barber discusses how "the end of work" may turn out to be humanity's greatest tragedy--or greatest boon.

If you care about the future of society or the future of democracy--and the two are entirely coincident, you need to read this book.