VOLUNTEERING IN JAPAN AND GERMANY: HOW MORAL CITIZENSHIP STRENGTHENS SOCIETY AND THE STATE
VOLUNTEERING IN JAPAN AND GERMANY: HOW MORAL CITIZENSHIP STRENGTHENS SOCIETY AND THE STATE

Summary/Abstract: For many years the prevailing image of Japan and Germany was one of “strong state, weak civil society”. The market and the state dominated public life. This article traces the role of the state in the civil society traditions of Japan and Germany and questions the “state versus civil society” institutional approach. First, it proposes a normative theoretical framework that overcomes the state/civil society dichotomy by highlighting the impact of political culture on institutional patterns of governance. Second, it contends that modern volunteering is agent based and driven by concerns for “moral citizenship” going beyond mere advocacy and traditional political activism. Third, it argues that libertarian value changes represent a shift towards greater autonomy and self-assertiveness among citizens. The article concludes that selfless volunteering has been incremental in shaping a more legitimate state and a more self responsible society in both countries.

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