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Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in the UK and IrelandMaking good societySummary of final report of the Commission of Inquiry into theFuture of Civil Society in the UK and Irelandwww.futuresforcivilsociety.orgSupported by

About the Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Societyin the UK and IrelandThe independent Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society was establishedby the Carnegie UK Trust to explore how civil society could be strengthened in theUK and Ireland. The Inquiry Commission was chaired by Geoff Mulgan and was alsoinformed by an International Advisory Group.The objectives of the Inquiry were to:• explore the possible threats to and opportunities for civil society, looking out to 2025;• identify how policy and practice can be enhanced to help strengthen civil society;• enhance the ability of civil society associations to shape the future.The Inquiry Commission’s work began with an extensive futures exercise to explorepossible futures for civil society. Drawing on the findings of the futures work, which aredocumented in two reports, The shape of civil society to come and Scenarios for civilsociety, the Inquiry Commission agreed to explore the current and possible future roles ofcivil society associations in relation to the following themes:• Growing a civil economy• A rapid and just transition to a low carbon economy• Democratising media ownership and content• Growing participatory and deliberative democracyThis document summarises the findings of the final Commission report.Published on behalf of the Commissionby the Carnegie UK Trustwww.carnegieuktrust.org.ukISBN 978-0-900259-68-5Design by FalconburyDisclaimer: the Carnegie UK Trust normallydoes not take institutional positions onpublic policy issues; the views presentedin this publication represent the findings ofthe Inquiry’s work or the views of the InquiryCommission and do not necessarily reflect theviews of the Trust (its officers, staff, trustees).Whilst every attempt has been made toensure the accuracy, reliability and timelinessof the information contained in this report,all such information is provided ‘as is’ andtherefore the authors cannot guarantee thevalidity of any information that may havechanged between writing and the time ofpublication.For further information about the Commission of Inquiry and to downloadrelated reports go to www.futuresforcivilsociety.org or contact us on+44 (0)1383 721 445 or info@carnegieuk.orgFront cover image: An army of thousands of one foot high people were planted in the formation of a giant saltire outside theScottish Parliament calling for climate action – Edinburgh, April 2009: Image courtesy of Friends of the Earth Scotlandwww.futuresforcivilsociety.org

1ForewordTake a few streets in a typical town in Donegal or Denbighshire, Devon or Dumfriesshire and you don’t need to look far to findcivil society. Whether it’s visible on the streets or behind closed doors, every community hosts an extraordinary array of civilsociety activity including sports clubs, care for family members or local residents, homework clubs and support networks. Asindividuals, many of us are active in local groups, charities, in churches, mosques and temples or trade unions. We play our partin campaigns to end poverty or combat climate change. As consumers we support ethical products offered by co-operatives orsocial enterprises.Civil society is not governed by profit or power but by values and enthusiasms – a word that originally meant the god within us.Some of us are inspired by frustration and anger, others by hope, and others still by fun. Together, the many parts of civil societycontribute enormously to our everyday quality of life.The good news is that right across the UK and Ireland the daily life of civil society activity is thriving – with no signs of long-termdecline and decay, or for that matter any rise in selfishness and other ills, despite the pressures of recession. Civil society ismade up of a myriad of circles of freedom and circles of cooperation that have proved to be remarkably resilient.But it’s also clear that civil society is less than it could be. For a century or more it has been pushed to the margins by commerceand the state, which have claimed the lion’s share of resources and power. It has been paid lip-service, but generally neglected.And it has lost ground in areas it was once strong, like finance or childhood.Today we can see the convergence of both long and short-term trends which point to a major change in the position of civilsociety associations. The long-term trends can be traced back to many sources – the rising economic importance of charities andsocial enterprises globally; the counterculture of the 1960s; the global flowering of civil society activity in the wake of 1989 and thefall of the Berlin Wall; declining trust in politics and the rise of a culture in which people seek and expect expression and voice.The short-term push to strengthen civil society comes from the coincidence of three crises: the financial crisis and its economiceffects, which have sharply reduced the status and confidence of market liberalism; the ecological crisis, which has movedcentre-stage as never before in the wake of the Copenhagen Summit at the end of 2009; and a crisis of political confidence,particularly in Britain, because of an accumulation of events, including most recently the scandal of MPs’ expenses.Each crisis poses very different questions. But it is now impossible to imagine plausible answers to these questions which donot involve a widened role for civil society associations – as the complement to representative democracy; as the place wherea different kind of economy takes shape, or is being rediscovered; and as the site for everyday solutions to the effects of risingcarbon emissions.

2Making good societyThis makes now a remarkable time of opportunity. We need to set our sights far beyond the narrow arguments about contractsor fiscal treatment for the voluntary sector, and look instead at how civil society activity can shape our world, and how we canmake the transition from an age of ‘me’ to an age of ‘we’. Civil society was born out of the idea that we do best when we workwith others, and when we understand our interests as shared with others. That idea is more relevant than ever in an intimatelyinterconnected world.Here the Inquiry Commission sets out an argument for putting civil society at the centre. It’s not a blueprint or a detailedroadmap – but describes the directions of change, the critical choices, and the many things which could be done bygovernments, foundations, corporations and civil society associations themselves to make the most of the moment. While theCommission fully endorses the broad direction of travel outlined in this report, we do not pretend that its contents represent acomplete consensus. Given the many thorny issues addressed by the Inquiry, it will come as no surprise that there were manydivergent views among Commissioners, although throughout our work we were repeatedly surprised at how convergent manyof the discussions were at the many Inquiry events. There was a common appetite for change, shared frustrations about thechallenge of influencing systemic change, and a sense that the door is open for some radical breaks.This has been very much an inquiry of civil society, rather than for civil society: shaped by hundreds of participants who sharedtheir ideas and their passions. The Inquiry Commission and the Carnegie UK Trust are very grateful to all of the many individualsand organisations who took part, and helped form the recommendations made here and the associated research. TheCommission are also very appreciative of the dedication and hard work of the Inquiry staff team. Any omissions and errors areobviously our responsibility – but we hope that many will see the fruits of their contribution in what follows.This is a great time of possibility for civil society to spread its values not just in fields such as care and community, where itis already strong, but also in fields where it is relatively weak, including the economy and the media, energy and politics. Webelieve that if that happens, everyone stands to benefit. That is the ultimate promise of the hundreds of projects, ventures andorganisations mentioned in the final Commission report, which add up to a radical vision of how our society could grow, not justin material wealth but in social wealth too.Geoff Mulgan, Commission Chair

3MakinggoodsocietyCivil society activity meetsfundamental human wants andneeds, and provides an expressionfor hopes and aspirations. Itreaches parts of our lives andsouls that are beyond the stateand business. It takes much ofwhat we care about most in ourprivate lives and gives it shape andstructure, helping us to amplifycare, compassion and hope.Making community connections in Birmingham: Image courtesy of Bassac

4Making good societyThis Commission of Inquiry was set up toinvestigate the prospects for civil societyover the next few decades. It showsthat civil society may be on the cusp ofremarkable change, playing a potentiallycentral role in responding to the triplecrises of our time: those of political trust,economics and the environment. But theCommission also argues that, for the fullpotential of civil society to be realised,major changes will be needed in theconditions in which it operates, alongsidemuch greater engagement by civil societyassociations in fields where they are nowrelatively marginal.From community centresto workplacesCivil society is where people cometogether to pursue their shared interests,enthusiasms and values. Its activityencompasses everything from communitycentres to places of worship; the energyand creativity of music, theatre, danceand sports; and collaborations throughthe web. It includes campaigns to endpoverty, such as Make Poverty History, orto combat climate change such as PlaneStupid, the daily work of trade unionstrying to improve working conditions,responses to natural disasters like thatin Haiti, and the work of organisationslike Barnardos providing care for thevulnerable. It embraces both famous globaland national names such as Greenpeace,CAFOD, Unison, the Services, Industrial,Professional and Technical Union, theCo-operative Group and tiny informalcommunity groups.Some parts of civil society have very longhistories. The church dates back to theMiddle Ages, and charitable foundationsand co-operatives to the 19th century. Butcivil society is also constantly reinventingitself as people devise innovative solutionsto changing problems, such as local energyschemes or Community Land Trusts orthe multitude of organisations created bymigrant and minority communities.While its activity is extremely diverse,some clear common values underliemodern civil society.In civil society, people come together freelyas equals. Civil society has grown as anexpression of the values of co-operation,solidarity, mutual commitment andfreedom. It has complemented, influencedand challenged the formal institutionsof democracy. And it has always stoodfor visions of a good society, as well asmeeting more immediate needs.What is civil society?The Inquiry’s definition of civil societyincludes: civil society as associationallife, where people come togethervoluntarily for actions that lie beyondgovernment or for-private-profitbusiness, including voluntary andcommunity organisations, tradeunions, faith-based organisations,co-operatives and informal citizengroups; civil society as a ‘good’society, grounded in values suchas social justice, solidarity, mutualityand sustainability; and civil societyas the public sphere, wherepeople and organisations discusscommon interests, deliberatesolutions to problems, or findways of reconciling differences.‘Liberal democracy is a threeleggedstool — though, at present,it’s a pretty wobbly stool. One legis government, providing publiccapital. Another the market,providing market capital. Andthe third, civil society, providingsocial capital. To get things backin balance, the third leg needsstrengthening. ’George Reid, Inquiry Commissioner

5Civil society at the heartof progressive changeCivil society matters, and the many millionsof people who devote a great deal of timeand passion to it testify to this. And, thanksto an extraordinary recent flowering ofresearch on the importance of co-operationand social capital, we now also know howmuch it matters to the broader health ofour society and economy.A strong civil society provides a counterweightto the tendencies to monopoly and vestedinterest found in markets and in politics;it organises the outsiders and empowersthem relative to the insiders. Without astrong civil society, people are less able tohold institutions to account, less able to findprotection and support, particularly where thestate and market are absent, and less able toinfluence the decisions that affect their lives.Civil society is not a panacea, nor areall expressions of it uniformly good oradmirable. It is by its nature complex, messyand unpredictable. But, time and again, civilsociety has been at the heart of progressivesocial change: in the campaigns to abolishslavery, in the struggles of the Chartists andSuffragettes, and in the achievementsof the environmental movement inraising awareness of climate change.Conditions for ahealthy civil societyThe conditions for a healthy civil societyinclude high levels of social trust andequality, as well as legal protectionfor independence and a collaborativerelationship with the state. By internationaland historical standards, these conditionsare strong across the UK and Ireland, butthey need to be constantly nurtured, andthe Commission points to measures thatare needed to strengthen civil society.These range from preventing the erosionof civil liberties and ensuring freedom ofexpression, assembly and association, toreducing unnecessary bureaucratic barriersto engaging in civil society activity.We favour the creation of an ‘office for civilsociety’ at the heart of government, bothto oversee policy and to provide a voice forcivil society. We also point out measuresgovernments could take to achieve a moreconstructive partnership with civil societyand new institutions through which suchcollaboration might be effective, rangingfrom ‘social entrepreneurs in residence’to community brokers, as well as newfinancing tools such as social impactbonds and community pledgebanks.Civil society in 2010: strongin numbers, but sometimessqueezed to the marginsBy most measures, civil society in theUK and Ireland is thriving. For example,in 2006–7, the UK had 870,000 formalcivil society associations with assets of£210 billion. Uncounted, but probably instill greater number, are the thousandsof informal community groups that doanything from improving public spaces tocampaigning for fee-free cashpoints. Theinternet has created an extraordinary newmedium for organisation and expression,from initiatives to connect with power suchas theyworkforyou, to sites like freecyclethat help people exchange unwantedgoods, global sites for finance like Kivaor very local neighbourhood websites.But there are also less positive trends: theweakening of smaller civil society groupscompared to big ones; and, accordingto some views, a blurring of values asorganisations have sought growth as theirprimary objective. Greater inequality haswidened the gulfs that separate peopleand civil society groups. The Commissionalso points to crucial areas where civilsociety has become weaker, in particular,in respect of the economy and the media.

6Making good societyCivil society facts and figures• £210 billion: Total amount of assetsheld by civil society organisations inthe UK• 30% and 35%: Union membershipof workforce (approximate figuresin the UK and Ireland)• 13,927: Number of registeredfaith-based charities in the UK• £28 billion: Income of the UKco-operative sector• Co-operatives in Ireland accountfor nearly 50% of all food exports• 2.9 million credit union memberswith €11.9 billion of savings inIreland• Hundreds of thousands: Numberof informal grassroots civil societyassociations in the UK and IrelandLooking out to 2025Civil society faces acute challenges in thenear term with rising needs and decliningincome. Pooling resources and skills toget through immediate crises must be apriority. But the main focus of this Inquiryhas been on the longer term.The Inquiry therefore began by gatheringviews on the possible threats to, andopportunities for, civil society, looking outto 2025. This work highlighted familiartrends such as an ageing and increasingpopulation and the falling costs oftechnology. It also highlighted less certainpatterns of change and their implicationsfor civil society. What, for example, wouldbe the implications for civil society of areaction against corporate power andincreased interest in different economicmodels? Will climate change lead to arevitalisation of localities? Could civil societyplay a bigger role in re-energising andreforming representative democracy?Drawing on these investigations, theCommission identified four interrelatedpriority areas where a stronger civil societycould make the most difference: growing amore civil economy, ensuring a rapid andjust transition to a low carbon economy,democratising media ownership andcontent, and helping to develop moredeliberative and participatory democracy.Civil society activity touchesthe lives of most of us atsome time or another, asa provider of services, ameans of entertainment andrecreation, or as a channel toprotest against or influencethe decisions of the powerful.

7Growing amore civileconomyGrowing a more civil economyNow is the time to reshape thefinancial system to align it betterwith values that emphasiseresponsibility, good governance,human well-being, andenvironmental sustainability.Activists from the charity Oxfam call for fair trade for farmers in developing countries by dumping oranges at the doors of theEuropean Commission in London, 2003, in protest against the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy: Press Association Images

8Making good societyGrowing a more civil economyThe full meaning of the recent financialand economic crisis will not be clear formany years, but what is clear is that ithas prompted a widespread desire forchange. Governments have been primarilyconcerned with restoring the system,through bailouts and new regulation.But the Commission believes this isan opportunity to reshape the financialsystem, not just to avoid future crises, butalso to align it with values that emphasiseresponsibility, good governance, humanwell-being and environmental sustainability.We advocate growing a more civileconomy, which requires a bigger directeconomic role for civil society, as well asmore open and responsible practices in therest of the economy.Civil society has long been directly involvedin economic activity. In the 19th century,strong friendly societies, consumer cooperativesand building societies developednew financial services to meet the needs ofa rapidly urbanising population. Today, civilsociety remains involved in many areas of theeconomy, including retail supply chains, suchas fair trade and the trade justice movement,energy production, and health and socialcare. Social enterprise has increasedsignificantly, and in the UK is estimated tohave a combined turnover of £24 billion ayear. The co-operative movement has aturnover of £28 billion.‘The problem is welive in an economynot a society. ’Inquiry contributorWhat is a civil economy?A thriving civil economy mirrors a thriving democracy. Constitutionaland accountable political institutions supported by political parties,an independent judiciary, a free press, impartial law, civic bodies,and an involved citizenry sustain democracy in a civil society. Theparallel institutions of a civil economy can be understood to beconstitutional and accountable corporations supported by engagedshareowners and their accountable representatives, independentmonitors, credible standards, and vigilant and active civil societyassociations participating in the marketplace.There are a number of characteristics of a more civil economy: ✦• It is open and pluralist, welcoming entrepreneurship andinnovation, whether financial or social, through traditional companyor other structures, including mutuals and social enterprise.• Economic actors are clear about their responsibilities andaccountable to their owners, but have due regard for otherstakeholders, including communities and workers, and for theenvironment.• Institutional owners, such as pension funds, are accountableto their savers and push corporations towards sustainableprosperity through responsible management.• Information standards and flows allow for independent scrutinyon the part of individuals, civil society and the media.• The success of the economy is not measured in terms ofshort-term economic growth or financial gains, but in terms ofthe sustainable well-being of current and future generations.✦ This draws on the work of Davis, S., Lukomnik, J. and Pitt-Watson, D. (2006), The New Capitalists:How Citizen Investors are Reshaping the Corporate Agenda (Boston: Harvard Business School Press)

9The legacy of civil societyactivity in the economy• Campaigning, economic boycottsand court action in relation to theslave trade contributed to thedevelopment of human rightslegislation and economic sanctions.• The labour movement led to thedevelopment of employment lawand health and safety regulation.• The environmental movementhelped to develop carbon trading,green businesses and the organicmovement.• The trade justice and antiglobalisationmovements thatemerged to address poverty in theglobal south led to Fairtrade andhave created shifts in public values.• Concerns over technologicalmonopolies led to civil societydeveloping the open sourcemovement and the creativecommons license.But civil society’s economic roles are moremarginal than they once were. The creationof the welfare state undermined much ofthe rationale of civil society savings andinsurance initiatives, and business expandedits role in the provision of bank accountsand mortgages for poor communities.Meanwhile, the moral voice that allowedcivil society to influence the rest of theeconomy in the 19th century – for example,championing reforms to end slavery andchild labour – became muted.The Commission believes that a strong andhealthy economy depends on a pluralityof organisational forms, business modelsand values. We therefore advocate: first,building up a greater diversity of economicorganisations rooted in civil society,including co-operatives, social enterprises,charities and trusts, and, second,increasing the influence of civil society ondecision-makers throughout the economy,including regulators.Specifically, the Commission advocatesincreasing the transparency andaccountability of financial institutionsthrough mandatory reporting for majorinstitutional investors, requiring them to setout the social and environmental impact oftheir investments and how they exercisetheir voting powers, and mandatory lendingdisclosure for major financial institutionsto ensure they are serving the needs ofall communities, without discrimination(drawing on international models such asthe US Community Reinvestment Act).Civil society in actionFair Finance offers a range offinancial services and productsdesigned to meet the needs of peoplewho are financially excluded. It tracksits personal and business loans toensure people are not excluded bytheir gender, race or postcode.www.fairfinance.org.ukThe Commission also argues for actionto enhance pluralism in the financialsector and sees virtue in a more clearlytiered financial system, with different rules,capital requirements and regulations forlocal finance, national finance and globalactivities. The large public holdings in bankshave brought an unparalleled opportunityto restructure financial services so that theybetter serve society. This would includeremutualisation of failed financial institutionsat a local or regional scale, alongside mutualinsurance and mutual scrutiny of theseinstitutions to contain risk.Civil society should champion thedevelopment of low-cost financial productsthat reflect people’s changing needs. Thesecould include mortgages that allow for flexiblerepayment options and new investmentGrowing a more civil economy

10 Making good societyGrowing a more civil economyvehicles for people who want to hold theirsavings in forms that benefit the localcommunity and economy.Despite the scale and resilience of the socialeconomy, mainstream financial institutionsand fund managers have not significantlyinvested in it. We favour institutionalinvestors setting a minimum benchmark of2.5% investment in social enterprises thatnot only generate profit, but also producesocial and environmental returns. Regulatorsshould see this as an essential part ofprudent fund management.The Commission also advocatesincreasing the power and voiceof civil society by strengthening itscapacity to influence financial institutionsand regulators through building its ownspecialist institutions that have theknowledge and authority to challengeconventional financial thinking. Civilsociety also has an important roleto play in developing and promotingindependent, credible standards, sothat people can make informed choicesabout which financial products theypurchase. Specifically, we recommend a‘comprehensibility threshold’: no productshould remain on the market if more thanhalf of its consumers misunderstandfundamental features of how it works.Civil society in actionCommunity Development Finance Initiatives (CDFIs) provide loans and supportto businesses and individuals, helping people who have trouble getting finance frommainstream sources and to grow prosperity and opportunities in disadvantagedcommunities. CDFIs lent a record £113 million in 2009, up 50% from the previousyear. The value of CDFI loan applications rose to £360 million in 2009 (from £160million in 2008). They created and sustained around 10,000 jobs in 2009, andaround 96,000 jobs cumulatively. The CDFI loan portfolio stands at £394 million.www.cdfa.org.ukFairPensions campaigns for major institutional investors to adopt responsibleinvestment, using shareholder power to hold companies to account. In additionto letting people know about the power of their pension to improve corporatebehaviour, it runs single issue campaigns to bring shareholder pressure oncompanies. For example, in 2010 FairPensions co-ordinated a coalition ofinstitutional and individual investors and successfully filed resolutions on the oilsands in Canada to the AGMs of Royal Dutch Shell plc. and BP.www.fairpensions.org.ukThe time is also ripe for mobilising citizeninvestors, the millions of ordinary peoplewith pension plans and savings, so that theirfuture incomes are derived from companiesthat operate responsibly and sustainably.And organisations such as charitablefoundations and faith-based organisationsthat have between them tens of billions ofpounds in investment assets should pooltheir collective financial and moral clout togrow responsible and social investment.Stable, responsible and transparentfinancial activity must be atthe centre of any vision for thefuture of the financial sector andtherefore a key component ofthe civil economy. The financialsector can only develop these withincreased civil society activity.

11A rapidand justtransition toa low carboneconomyNeither state nor market actionwill be adequate to meet thescale of the challenges, nor willthey ensure that the costs ofclimate change and resourcescarcity are fairly distributed.Civil society has a critical roleto play in making sure thatthe transition to a low carboneconomy is effective and fair.A rapid and just transition to a low carbon economySchoolchildren on the Island of Gigha, off the west coast of Scotland, 2001, after the islanders’ successful bid to buy the island: Press Association Images

12Making good societyA rapid and just transition to a low carbon economyThat climate change has entered theworld’s consciousness as a question ofcollective survival is partly thanks to theefforts of civil society. Given the scale of thechallenges of climate change and resourcescarcity, it is not possible to rely on publicpolicy on the one hand and market forceson the other to do what is required. Civilsociety is critical to making the transitionto a low carbon economy, and to guardingagainst perpetuating the so-called ‘tripleinequality’ – unequal distribution ofthe impact of climate change, unequalresponsibility for precipitating it, andThe social and politicalramifications of climatechange and resource scarcityneed to be addressed through:• Mitigation strategies that recognisethe core objectives of ecologicalcitizenship, lifestyle change,collective action and global solidarity.• Adaptation strategies which areparticipatory, community-led and just.• The development of resilientcommunities that are able to copewith uncertain or unknown risks,such as extreme weather events,peak oil and migration.unequal sharing of the costs of mitigationand adaptation. It will have to organiseglobally as never before to create thegroundswell for necessary action,especially in the wake of opportunitiesmissed at the Copenhagen Summit 2009,as well as demonstrate through practicalexamples – from Transition Towns toeco-cities, local energy schemes suchTorrs Hydro, New Mills in Derbyshire,to urban agriculture programmes andretrofitting – how the shift to a low carboneconomy can also enhance life and bringnew opportunities.A broad scope of civil society activityis setting the scene for a rapid and justtransition. Campaigns such as the Big Ask(Friends of the Earth) saw nearly 200,000people contact their MP directly to pushfor the 2008 Climate Change Act. Socialenterprises, co-ops and community-basedgroups are developing alternative energy,food and waste systems. Faith-basedgroups are raising awareness through theircongregations. Yet despite all this activityand energy, the Commission believes that,in order to ensure that the transition toa low carbon economy is achieved bothwith the necessary speed and regard tofairness, a historic shift in the scale of itsactivity will be needed.Actions we recommend include investingin a local low carbon economybased on renewable energy, communitytransport, local food supplies and localwaste management. Growing this neweconomy should be a priority for all parts ofcivil society that control significant assetsor investment flows. Advocating policyinnovation is key to reinforcing these newsectors, for example by using periodicwindfall taxes on the carbon energyindustries during price spikes, developinggreen investment banks, green ISAs andgreen bonds with favourable tax treatment.‘… we have so little time toact … we need to mobilisecivil society to clamour forgovernment action andinstitutional change. How?We must stop talking aboutclimate change as a strictlyenvironmental problem. ’Inquiry contributor

13In addition, civil society beyondthe green movement needs to beactivated. Environmental civil societygroups are heavily involved in climatechange. Others remain on the sidelines.To some extent this is inevitable, but howclimate change is dealt with matters toevery part of civil society. Averting it will beimpossible without civil society developingglobal alliances and coalitions, extendingdirect action, or holding institutionalinvestors or corporations accountable foractions that affect the environment.Experience to date has shown that thetraditional methods of politics are unlikelyto be enough to shape a consensusfor action. Citizen conventions withinnations, as well as globally, need to bedeveloped to bring together business, civilsociety, government and media to reviewprogress towards a rapid and just transitionand identify actions that need to be taken.Civil society needs to be at the forefrontof shaping shared arguments and actions.No issue has ever challenged civil societyas urgently to demonstrate its power tomobilise people and to change heartsand minds.Civil society in actionCynnal Cymru-Sustain Wales operates on the boundaries of government,business and civil society to generate communication in the interest of sustainabledevelopment. It has three aims across its programmes of work – to change behaviour,to influence government and to promote opportunities for diverse groups to deliberate.www.sustainwales.comCommunity Energy Scotland has provided funding for over 200 capital projects,installing a variety of renewable energy technologies to help communities reduce theirenergy costs and carbon emissions. Often tiny by commercial wind farm standards,these energy projects are very significant for small community groups, relying largelyon voluntary commitment to drive them forward. The projects offer the prospect oflong-term revenue to many struggling communities. One example is theIsle of Eigg Electrification Project that has integrated multiple renewable energysources to a grid system to supply an isolated and scattered small community.www.communityenergyscotland.org.ukThe Trades Union Congress (TUC) in their call for a fair and just transition haveexplored what adaptation and transition mean for their core areas of concern –employment, skills, training and worker representation. Activities include engaging incampaigns such as Put People First, and influencing government through the TradeUnion Sustainable Development Advisory Committee.www.tuc.orgIn 2009 the Archbishop of Canterbury hosted a meeting of faith leaders and faithbasedcommunity organisations which resulted in an inter-faith statement on climatechange that highlighted the very real threat to the world’s poor. The statement saysthat ‘faith communities have a crucial role to play in pressing for changes in behaviourat every level of society and in every economic sector’.www.archbishopofcanterbury.orgA rapid and just transition to a low carbon economy

14 Making good societyDemocratising media ownership and contentDemocratisingmediaownershipand contentA thriving civil society anddemocracy is dependent onfree, strong and critical media.Dublin Community Television, an open membership co-operative with the mission of‘putting community centre stage’: Image courtesy of Dublin Community Television

15A thriving civil society has always beendependent on free, strong and criticalmedia. They enable us to know, to imagineand to organise to make the world better.Yet traditional media business modelsare in serious decline. Experts predictthe demise of the newspaper by 2043.In 2009, over 100 local and regionalnewspaper titles have vanished. Whileadvertising revenues and audiences areshifting to online platforms, traditionalmedia are haemorrhaging revenues andcutting back on original news content.Meanwhile, the BBC, which has been abastion of public service values, facesattack on many fronts.The proliferation of media on the web haspartly balanced these trends. It is now fareasier for people to express themselves,and far easier for civil society to speakto itself through specialist websites andchannels. Millions of bloggers havecountered the concentrated power oftraditional media and, at its best, theinternet has promoted greater globalconsciousness, easier access to accuratedata and greater diversity.But despite the proliferation of onlineplatforms, more of the news we receiveis recycled ‘churnalism’ and aggregatedcontent. Trends of concentration in mediaownership and increased pressure oftime and resources have narrowed thesources from which original news derives.Moreover, the centralisation of newsproduction and neglect of local issueshas particular repercussions for accessto information across the UK and Ireland,especially in the devolved nations.As a new media landscape takes shape,the Commission sees three issues asparamount: freedom, pluralism andintegrity. By freedom, we mean thefreedom of all parts of civil society toshape media content, which will meanmaintaining maximum freedom on theinternet. By pluralism, we mean newsmedia that are not controlled by a smallnumber of powerful interests, which willentail civil society becoming more involvedin media ownership. By integrity, we meannews media that promote values such astruthfulness and accuracy.To strengthen these values we advocategrowing local and community newsmedia. We want to see policy andfinancial commitments from local andnational governments and support fromphilanthropic organisations to enhancethe infrastructure for local and communitymedia – including digital platforms andaccess to radio frequencies.Equally important is strengthening thetransparency and accountability ofnews content production through, forexample, the development of standards,such as ‘kitemarks’, that would providetransparent information on how content isproduced so that people can distinguishbetween accurate news and mis- ordisinformation.Democratising media ownership and content‘ The media does real violence to deliberation. ’Inquiry contributor

16Making good societyDemocratising media ownership and contentWe also call for protection of the free,open and democratic nature of theinternet. We urge civil society to bevigilant and vocal regarding mergers andconcentration among internet, socialnetwork and media groups. And we alsowant concerted action from governmentsto maintain an open and free internet.We believe the BBC and the licencefee should be protected and thatrevenue flows should be redirectedto promote diversity and integrity. Now isthe time for innovation in the funding ofquality news content production. Someof the best developments in the media(from Channel 4 to film) have come fromcreative innovations that directed resourcesinto high-quality content and distribution.Further work should be undertaken toexplore new funding models, forexample, tax concessions, industry leviesor directing proportions of advertisingspend into news content creation bycivil society associations, or into localmultimedia websites.Civil society in actionDublin Community Television is an open membership co-operativewhose mission is to ‘enhance diversity, empowerment and participation in mediaand in community development more widely … to serve, empower and promoteDublin communities, their activities and their right to be seen and heard’.www.dctv.ieThe Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom works for a moreaccountable, freer and diverse media, defending the principles of public servicebroadcasting, researching and lobbying on issues of alternative forms of mediaownership and of media scrutiny.www.cpbf.org.ukThe US savetheinternet.com coalition is more than a million everyday peoplewho have banded together with thousands of non-profit organisations, businessesand bloggers to protect Internet freedom.www.savetheinternet.comTalk About Local is an example of a local community media project. It is fundedby Channel 4’s ‘4 Innovation for the Public’ (4iP). The project aims to ‘help peoplecommunicate and campaign more effectively to influence events in the places inwhich they live, work or play’.www.talkaboutlocal.orgFaced with the increasing homogenisation of news content, therole of civil society associations in bringing diversity of viewpointsand challenging accepted norms has never been more important.

17GrowingparticipatoryanddeliberativedemocracyGrowing participatory and deliberative democracyCivil society activity iscritical to complementing,challenging and enrichingrepresentative democracy.London Citizens: May Day rally for migrant workers at Westminster Cathedral, 2006: Image courtesy of London Citizens (Chris Jepson)

18Making good societyGrowing participatory and deliberative democracyDemocracy in the UK and Ireland wascreated in large part by pressure from civilsociety. Power was not willingly shared bythose who held it but was prised from themby campaigners for reform, such as theChartists and the Suffragettes and, morerecently in the UK, by institutions such asthe Scottish Constitutional Convention andthe All Wales Convention.Five reasons for growingparticipatory and deliberativedemocracy:• Individuals have the right to influencethe decisions that impact on theirlives. These rights are protected bya framework of civil liberties.• Citizen participation indecision-making helps smoothimplementation by increasinglegitimacy.• Citizen participation producesbetter policy choices.• What citizens learn fromparticipation can empower futureengagement.• Deliberation across difference canbreak down prejudice and buildmutual trust and understanding.After decades of declining electoralturnouts and confidence, the politicalsystem in the UK experienced a jolt in2009. The scandal over MPs’ expensesseemed further proof that politicianscouldn’t be trusted. The major politicalparties are no longer seen as adequatevehicles for people’s hopes and interests.As reports from the Taskforce on ActiveCitizenship in Ireland and the Power Inquiryin the UK indicate, disillusionment withrepresentative democracy is not indicativeof a lack of interest in politics, but ofdissatisfaction with the current system’srelationship and relevance to citizens.Yet the alternatives of a fully direct orparticipatory democracy have never foundfavour either. Push-button democracybrings just as great a risk as a democracyof professional politicians. Instead, webelieve we are seeing the slow birth ofmore participatory and representativedemocracy, in which the institutions ofparties and parliaments derive greaterlegitimacy through a bigger role for civilsociety in organising deliberation, argumentand decision-making.To further stimulate this, the Commissionadvocates strengthening very localdemocracy with a shift of power fromnational to local government and fromlocal government to neighbourhoods,with clear rights to set up neighbourhoodcouncils with powers to raise financeand act. Refashioning parliaments isnecessary to allow for more dialogue andengagement, including rights of petitionand rights for petitioners to take part indebates, drawing on practice in the newerdevolved parliaments. To reduce the risk ofunintended harm to civil society, rights todissent need to be reinforced and thetemptation to restrict freedom in thename of security resisted.The Commission argues that there is aneed for investing in deliberation skills,as individuals, civil society associations andpublic bodies need to help strengthen theskills of active listening and rational argumentand the mindset to deliberate effectively.And there is a need for developing leadersfrom all backgrounds. Civil society is whereleadership skills are often learned and wherepeople learn that power should be a meansand not an end. More needs to be done tosupport those organisations that effectivelyidentify and support emerging leaders whoseviews reflect the communities they serve.More support is also necessary for individualsor organisations that are effective at bridgingdifference and are skilled at overcomingconflicts or mutual distrust. Society needsbetter ‘bridging institutions’ that can cutacross divisions of race, faith and class –

19not least to support open and honest debateabout how communities should deal with bigissues such as climate change or ageing.And finally, the Commission argues thatthere is a need to harness the potentialof the internet. An extraordinary amountof innovation is taking place through theinternet, SMS, twitter and social networkingsites, turning them into tools for mobilisation,education and direct action. Funders shouldbe backing this innovation, partly to ensurethat it really does open up participation anddeliberation, and partly to find better ways forthe online world to connect into the largely offlineworld of councils, boardrooms, parliamentsand global summits.Everything the Commission advocates existsalready, albeit often on a small scale. As thenovelist William Gibson put it, ‘The future isalready here, it is just unevenly distributed’.But without support and investment, thepotential of civil society activity may remainunrealised.‘We can win global change, but it willnot have teeth unless it is rooted locally.The challenge is now to develop newforms of citizenship, which connect thedots from the local to the global.’John Gaventa, Institute for Development StudiesCivil society in actionChangeMakers, a project of Church Action on Poverty, develops the capacityand skills of people from disadvantaged communities across England. Using broadbasedcommunity organising and leadership training, it enables people to identifyand meet their needs so they can participate more fully in local regenerationprocesses, in the development of effective local and national urban policy, and insociety in general.www.church-poverty.org.uk/projects/changemakersLondon Citizens is a broad-based coalition comprised of faith groups, tradeunions, schools, universities and community groups. It seeks to organisecommunities that are diverse in terms of ethnicity, faith and class to affect socialchange. Recent initiatives have focused on a ‘living wage’ for London workersand the idea of granting an amnesty for undocumented workers in the UK – the‘Strangers in to Citizens’ campaign.www.londoncitizens.org.ukMysociety.org builds websites that give people simple, tangible benefits in the civicand community aspects of their lives. theyworkforyou.com seeks to bridge thedemocratic disconnect between members of parliament and their constituencies.In Burnley, local people and agencies have been working with the support ofthe Belfast-based Mediation Northern Ireland on a programme to ‘develop goodrelations’. The Good Relations Programme is defined by the understanding ofthe importance of unpacking and exploring difficult and contentious issues and thefact that this requires practitioners who are well trained and supported.Growing participatory and deliberative democracy

20 Making good societyToday there is a possibility, as never before, to putcivil society at the heart of thingswww.futuresforcivilsociety.orgThe Commission believes that collective efficacy lies at the heart of what needs to change if we are to create a more civil economy, enablea rapid and just transition to a low carbon economy, democratise media ownership and content, and develop more participatory anddeliberative democracy. But will this moment be seized? There are strong motives for vested interests to pay lip service to civil society, butwe hope that the Commission report, the evidence it provides regarding the importance of civil society in all areas of life, and the directionof travel it sets for a good society, will inspire individuals and organisations to act and invest.To civil societyitself, we argue for areassertion onvalues. Civil societyassociations can neverbe just providers ofservices. Their energycomes from values –of justice, equality andmutuality – and fromthe hunger for freedom.In every generation,these values are calledinto question andneed to be renewed.We also argue forgreater ambition. Civilsociety needs to bebolder in assertingwhat it can contributeto reshaping finance,tackling climate changeand regeneratingdemocracy, and bolderin using its power,assets and influence.To philanthropicorganisations, wemake the case for morestrategic investmentto open up some ofthe most importantcentres of power in oursociety – in finance andthe media – as well asmeeting needs on themargins.To politicians andparties, we argue fora mix of actions, fromprotecting civil libertiesand the freedoms ofexpression, associationand assembly, tofreeing civil societyfrom unnecessaryconstraints andregulations, andhelping civil societyplay a fuller role infinance, the economy,the media and theenvironment. And weargue for openingout the institutions ofdemocracy to greaterengagement, whilerecognising the verydifferent roles of electedrepresentatives and civilsociety associations.To business, weadvocate transparencyand engagement.Scrutiny from a strongcivil society makesmarkets work better;and the presence ofstrong social enterprisesand co-operativesmakes the economymore resilient.And to the public,we say that it’s notwise to wait for othersto lead. Power canoften seem distant.This makes it harder tolaunch revolutions, butall of us have power toachieve change, oftenmore than we realise.Civil society itself is an expression of restlessinquiry, searching and experiment. The InquiryCommission’s report is therefore more aboutstrengthening civil society’s capacity to act thanattempting to legislate or define a model future.But it is about rebalancing power so that we can,together, make good our society.

21Commission membersChairGeoff MulganVice ChairGeorge ReidMembersRichard AtkinsonMillie Banerjee(ex-officio) ✧Kay CarberryRajeeb DeyJames DoorleyPhilomena de LimaSeamus McAleaveyCharlie McConnell(ex-officio) ✦Joyce McMillanRay Murphy ✛Anna NichollMaeve Sherlock ✝Neil SherlockJane SteeleInternationalAdvisory GroupHalima BegumThomas CarothersMichael EdwardsJohn GaventaShannon LawderKumi NaidooGerry SaloleInquiry staff teamLenka SetkovaErin van der MaasSoumounthaKeophilavongMorven MastertonPlease note thatall Commissionersand members of theInternational AdvisoryGroup contributed to theInquiry in their personalcapacity and not asrepresentatives of anyorganisation or institutionwith which they areaffiliated.✧✦✛✝Commissionmember untilNovember 2007Commissionmember untilAugust 2008Sadly Ray Murphypassed away in2007Due to conflictsof interest, MaeveSherlock is notaffiliated with thesection ‘Growing amore civil economy’.

Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in the UK and IrelandPublished on behalf of the Commissionby the Carnegie UK TrustHead OfficeAndrew Carnegie HousePittencrieff StreetDunfermlineFife, KY12 8AWThis is a summary of the finalCommission report. The full report,and other related publications, areavailable free to download from theInquiry website:www.futuresforcivilsociety.orgTel: +44 (0)1383 721 445London Office2 Downstream Building1 London BridgeLondon, SE1 9BGTel: +44 (0)20 7785 6570ISBN 978-0-900259-68-5Scottish charity SC 012799 operating in the UK and Irelandwww.futuresforcivilsociety.org