8/17/2019 To Empower People http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/to-empower-people 1/27 To Empower People: From State To Empower People: From State to Civil Society to Civil Society Peter L. Berger and Richard John Peter L. Berger and Richard John Neuhaus Neuhaus
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Mediating structures are essential for a vitalMediating structures are essential for a vitaldemocracydemocracy +f mediating structures didn5t generate and+f mediating structures didn5t generate and
maintain values# t"e State would( 6"en values aremaintain values# t"e State would( 6"en values aredetermined top7down# t"e government isdetermined top7down# t"e government is
aut"oritarian# not democratic(aut"oritarian# not democratic(
Public policy s"ould utili&e mediatingPublic policy s"ould utili&e mediating
structures for t"e reali&ation of socialstructures for t"e reali&ation of social
purposes( purposes( isk of government cooption of mediatingisk of government cooption of mediating
structuresstructures
-oal is to e!pand government services wit"out-oal is to e!pand government services wit"outincreasing government oppressivenessincreasing government oppressiveness
Feeling of powerlessness caused by facelessFeeling of powerlessness caused by facelesscontrolling institutions wit" different valuescontrolling institutions wit" different values
t"an t"e individualt"an t"e individual Easier for t"e affluent to resist t"eEasier for t"e affluent to resist t"e
encroac"ment of t"e megastructuresencroac"ment of t"e megastructures
Policy based on t"e mediating structures aimsPolicy based on t"e mediating structures aimsto empower poor people to do t"e t"ings t"eto empower poor people to do t"e t"ings t"emore affluent can already domore affluent can already do
)eig"bor"oods empowered to impose t"eir )eig"bor"oods empowered to impose t"eir
values on individuals can be coercive and cruelvalues on individuals can be coercive and cruel -overnment intervention necessary to protect-overnment intervention necessary to protect
Conflict between individual and communalConflict between individual and communalrig"ts due to t"e un/ust e!tension of policiesrig"ts due to t"e un/ust e!tension of policiesderiving from racial dilemma(deriving from racial dilemma(
acism as community c"aracteristicacism as community c"aracteristic
Focus public policy on neig"bor"ood7definedFocus public policy on neig"bor"ood7definedneig"bor"ood development to bring up poorneig"bor"ood development to bring up poorcommunities(communities( 's t"ey ac"ieve middle class goals# racism will be reduced's t"ey ac"ieve middle class goals# racism will be reduced
or separated from ot"er discrimination and will be moreor separated from ot"er discrimination and will be moreeasily prosecuted(easily prosecuted(
'c"ievement of individuals doesn5t necessarily mean'c"ievement of individuals doesn5t necessarily mean
t"ey5ll move out of poor neig"bor"oods(t"ey5ll move out of poor neig"bor"oods( Media# c"urc"es# sc"ools# government# etc( must continueMedia# c"urc"es# sc"ools# government# etc( must continue
and intensify efforts to educate against racial bias(and intensify efforts to educate against racial bias(
eturn ta! money in non7categorical ways to be spent as neig"bor"oodseturn ta! money in non7categorical ways to be spent as neig"bor"oodsdeem necessarydeem necessary
Since we can5t force private financial institutions to make money availableSince we can5t force private financial institutions to make money availableto poor neig"bor"oods#to poor neig"bor"oods# 6e need a new version of t"e Federal 2ousing 'dministration6e need a new version of t"e Federal 2ousing 'dministration Property ta! regulations s"ould be c"anged to encourage "ome improvement(Property ta! regulations s"ould be c"anged to encourage "ome improvement(
Strengt"en neig"bor"oods by giving t"em more responsibility for lawStrengt"en neig"bor"oods by giving t"em more responsibility for lawenforcement(enforcement( Funding for part7time employment of parents to police sc"ools and publicFunding for part7time employment of parents to police sc"ools and public
places( places(
%pen up unused airwaves to regional# et"nic# and elective groups to fig"t%pen up unused airwaves to regional# et"nic# and elective groups to fig"tmedia "omogeni&ationmedia "omogeni&ation
Ta!ation policies and postal regulations s"ould support neig"bor"oodTa!ation policies and postal regulations s"ould support neig"bor"oodnewspapersnewspapers
ecogni&e family as an institutionecogni&e family as an institution Society "as a vested interest in "ow values areSociety "as a vested interest in "ow values are
transmitted to t"e ne!t generation(transmitted to t"e ne!t generation( 6eak families produce uprooted individuals#6eak families produce uprooted individuals#
w"ic" make for ideal recruits for aut"oritarianw"ic" make for ideal recruits for aut"oritarian
State "as a coercive monopoly on education(State "as a coercive monopoly on education( ow7income parents "ave t"e least say about w"atow7income parents "ave t"e least say about w"at
"appens to t"eir kids in sc"ool("appens to t"eir kids in sc"ool( Personnel of t"e education establis"ment are upperPersonnel of t"e education establis"ment are upper
middle class(middle class( T"ey teac" t"eir upper middle class values(T"ey teac" t"eir upper middle class values(
Disparage t"e ways of life of t"e poor Disparage t"e ways of life of t"e poor Teac" contempt for t"e parents and self7contempt(Teac" contempt for t"e parents and self7contempt(
$est way to break up t"e monopoly is to allow c"oice$est way to break up t"e monopoly is to allow c"oice