The Relationship between Government and Civil Society in the Era of COVID-19

Abstract

COVID-19 created an extraordinary social situation in which governments struggle to mitigate the harmful consequences of the pandemic. Challenging times show a society’s resilience and capacity for solidarity and cohesion, the government’s ability to deal with emergencies effectively, the stability and inclusiveness of political systems, and their aptitude to respect democratic values. It is particularly important to examine this period from the point of view of civil society and civil society organizations (CSOs), since civil society plays a pivotal role in the alleviation and dissipation of societal troubles associated with the epidemic, indeed a vital role in curbing the virus. The civil sector’s strength and resilience too is tested. As the studies in this Special Issue show, exploiting the potential of civil society was an option that only some countries have been able to seize - as a result of which they have effectively reduced the consequences of the calamity while increasing a sense of solidarity and belonging in their societies. Others, however, failed to recognize the importance of civil society and interpreted the situation as a “single-actor play on stage”. Neither solidarity nor cohesion play out as values in these latter cases; instead the single actor – government – grabs the opportunity to play the role of the heroic savior and the exclusive problem solver, grabbing for itself both symbolic gains and increasing concentration of power. Citizens are expected to trust no one or no organization except the charismatic leader (or party). Thereby is forged a vertical and hierarchical chain of control, rather than a horizontally linked network of trust and cooperation. The studies and commentaries in this issue cover nine countries located on an imaginary line beginning in the United Kingdom, and extending through Germany, Austria, Hungary, Turkey, Israel, India, China and South Korea, representing various socio-political and economic systems. Embedded in elaborated theoretical understandings, this introductory essay examines the research articles of this Special Issue in which authors unfold the dynamics of CSO-government relations in the context of the world pandemic. These accounts sharpen our understanding of the preexisting shape of government–CSO relations. The introduction places the countries on a scale which classifies them according to the characteristics of civil society–government relations unfolding during the pandemic. One of the endpoints is represented by those countries where the CSO’s creative and constructive responses to the social challenges were prevented or blocked by the government. In this setup, CSOs were ignored at best, and restrictions undercut their abilities to contribute to the process of mitigating the pandemic and its consequences. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of this scale, are countries where the government, both central and local, invited civil society partners in the response to COVID-19, orchestrated high-quality and multilevel cross-sectoral cooperation, and provided partners with the necessary (financial) resources. In those cases, CSOs were empowered effectively to participate in a process designed to address the epidemic and its consequences in accordance with principles of participatory democracy.

BRICS and the USA: Labor and Employment Support During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Both the world and BRICS countries have not so far returned to the pre-crisis levels of unemployment and the uncertain world economic situation makes any predictions about the time of possible return to the pre-COVID-19 levels rather unreliable. The world experience has shown that the interaction between entrepreneurs, government and trade unions in the implementation of measures to support the labor market during a pandemic gives positive results (Brandl, 2021, Kövér, 2021. Such interaction was carried out with varying degrees of intensity and success, but showed the possibility of joint action to resolve complex issues covering all spheres of public life.…”

Coping with COVID-19 – Which Resilience Mechanisms Enabled Austrian Nonprofit Organizations to Weather the Pandemic Storm?

“…We also found several European studies (cf. Kövér 2021 ) with a focus on the relations of governments with civil society organizations (CSOs). For example, Harris ( 2021 ) analyzed the responses of the UK civil society and government and highlighted organizational and governance-related challenges as well as the acceleration of pre-existing trends (esp.…”

“…Since the first peak of the pandemic in early 2020, nonprofit organizations (NPOs) have played a major role in responding to this crisis and in mitigating its devastating effects on the local and regional level (Dayson et al. 2021 ; Kövér 2021 ; Paarlberg et al. 2020 ; Shi et al.…”

State and Nonprofit Organizations Relationship Model in South Korea's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…There is no single definition of partnership. Instead, a large number of terms have been used, such as trust relationships (Essia & Yearoo, 2009), collaboration (Kövér, 2021), alliances, cooperation, or inter-organizational relationships (Vasconcellos et al, 2011). Partnership means the sharing of power over the decision-making process which has double consequences (Sunhyuk Kim, 2010).…”