Civil society is “an essential building block of development and national cohesion” according to Senior Brookings Fellow George Ingram.  The sentiment is echoed by an equally prominent think tank on the other side of the ideological spectrum, The Heritage Foundation. Often described in the context of Alexis de Tocqueville’s views of America and it’s “spirit of association,” civil society represents needs fulfilled, through free association, that individuals on their own and government on behalf of all cannot address. In today’s political climate, an endorsement from intellectuals at both ends of the political spectrum should be cause for celebration. But the public seems slow to understand and rally behind this long-standing pillar of American society.

Starting in 2019, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE) began an investigation into the perceptions of language used in the civic philanthropy field. As part of this effort an online survey was conducted in November 2021. The study found that just 32% of Americans have a positive association with the term civil society. Negative perceptions are low (7%) and a combined 60% of Americans say they either have a neutral association with the term or are not familiar with it (36% and 24% respectively).

The study also set out to understand how Americans view the definition of civic engagement. Approximately four-in-five (79%) include “participating in actions that allow people to make their communities better but may not directly involve government or politics” in their definition of civic engagement. But this is not necessarily seen as a positive thing with 40% of Americans having a positive feeling toward civic engagement and 42% being neutral.

Furthermore, those who would define civic engagement as making their communities better, which aligns with the generally accepted meaning of “civil society,” do not view it as a positive force: just one-third (32%) have a positive view of civil society compared to 35% who say it is neither positive nor negative and 24% who are not familiar with the term.

The data indicate a moderate unfamiliarity with “civil society” with approximately one-in-four completely unfamiliar with the term. This should make social scientists pause and re-evaluate how we are teaching children civics and the structure of our society. Moreover, the majority of Americans unwilling or unable to assign civil society a positive or negative association, even among those who associate civic engagement with community betterment, may indicate that the nation’s faith in non-governmental groups, or our “spirit” of private association, to accomplish societal good may be shaken. In combination with dramatically decreasing trust in our formal government institutions, our nation is headed toward a future where individuals may feel like they have few places to turn, especially during crisis.

The perception data of civil society and related terms give us a window into the health of our democratic society. Whether it is confusion, skepticism or simply a blank slate that needs filling, there is a large opportunity to educate the public on how civil society can be a force for good in our communities.