During the Christmas season, people across our great country gather with friends and loved ones to worship, exchange gifts, practice traditions, and reflect on the year’s blessings. But this year, as we celebrate, I am reminded that the spirit of this season was once commonplace in American life, not relegated to a few weeks each year. A rich “associational life” made America great, but today, our friendships and communities aren’t what they used to be.
A new report by the Social Capital Project finds that American civil society has seen better days. Civil society is the area of life in which people voluntarily come together to pursue common goals, apart from government and the market. It includes the communities and organizations we most care about: churches, neighborhoods, schools, and the like. It contributes to economic opportunity and upward mobility by supporting relationships and cultivating important virtues, such as honesty and reciprocity.
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As the report finds, using the latest social science research and survey data, American civil society has eroded in many ways. We are spending less time with our neighbors today than we once did. We’re much less likely to trust our neighbors than before. Fewer of us are active members of a church. We are less likely to participate in local clubs and organizations, particularly fraternal organizations such as Rotary Club and veterans groups such as the American Legion, than a generation ago. Fewer of us are giving to charity. Although there are some signs of hope — for example, we seem to be more involved in our children’s schools — the overall trends in civil society should concern us.
Several factors have contributed to these trends. Government expansion often “crowds out” civil society directly through laws and regulations that obstruct what citizens and organizations can do. Government can also crowd out civil society indirectly through welfare and other programs that make charity and mutual support less necessary.
But an ever-growing government isn’t the only cause. As our nation has enjoyed greater prosperity, fewer of us rely on others for aid. Whereas last generation’s neighbors borrowed tools or shared meals, today we can have our needs met with a package delivered at our doorstep. We might be immediately better off, but our relationships suffer.
What will it take to rebuild civil society? Our lawmakers should apply the principle of subsidiarity, which affirms respect for the proper authority vested in local communities and governing bodies. In other words, we need to devolve power to the lowest appropriate level, rather than trying to solve all of society’s problems from on high. Subsidiarity is built into the federalist system of our Constitution, which is designed to preserve the balance between central and local power. Unfortunately, our respect for the American miracle of self-government has faded, and civil society has paid the price.
On a practical level, lawmakers can support civil society by finding ways to address crowd-out, spur local innovations, empower local decision-making, and alleviate burdens on particular institutions. The report discusses a wide range of options for lawmakers to consider, particularly at the state and local levels.
As we enjoy this season of giving, surrounded by family and friends, let’s consider the many ways that civil society has shaped our lives and communities and how we might give back. While I hope that my colleagues on Capitol Hill and I will do our part to renew civil society, ordinary citizens are at the heart of this great American tradition. It is by recommitting to our neighborhoods, schools, churches, and voluntary associations that each of us can help to renew civil society and retain the spirit of this most wonderful time all year.
Mike Lee, a Republican, is Utah’s senior senator.
