How does ‘civil society’ serve the Washington Consensus
while also attracting the aspirations of left political activists and
progressive planners? We address this troubling question by interrogating
the concept of civil society, with due respect to the actual role
played by civil society in the development of capitalism. Based on
close readings of Hegel, Marx and planning theory dealing with it, we
also argue that the discourse of civil society now serves neoliberalism
quite well, but provides dubious support for ‘radical’ or ‘insurgent’
planning. As an ideal for the latter, we propose instead the radical
democratization of both the economy and the state.
while also attracting the aspirations of left political activists and
progressive planners? We address this troubling question by interrogating
the concept of civil society, with due respect to the actual role
played by civil society in the development of capitalism. Based on
close readings of Hegel, Marx and planning theory dealing with it, we
also argue that the discourse of civil society now serves neoliberalism
quite well, but provides dubious support for ‘radical’ or ‘insurgent’
planning. As an ideal for the latter, we propose instead the radical
democratization of both the economy and the state.