COMMUNITY REACTION AND VOLUNTARY INVOLVEMENT (FROM VIOLENCE AND THE SOCIAL SERVICES IN NORTHERN IRELAND, 1978, BY JOHN DARBY AND ARTHUR WILLIAMSON - SEE NCJ-56136)

• NCJ Number: 56145
• Author(s): H GRIFFITHS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 30 pages
• Corporate Author: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

THE EVOLUTION OF VOLUNTARY, CITIZEN-INITIATED COMMUNITY ACTION GROUPS IN NORTHERN IRELAND TO TEND TO HUMAN NEEDS BEING IGNORED BY THE GOVERNMENT IS DISCUSSED AS IS THE GROUPS' EVENTUAL WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE.

Abstract

THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY ACTION GROUPS IN NORTHERN IRELAND INCREASED WITH THE PERCEPTIONS OF CITIZENS IN PARTICULAR LOCALITIES AND OF PARTICULAR SECTARIAN AFFILIATION (PROTESTANT OR CATHOLIC) THAT THEIR COMMUNITY AND FAMILY NEEDS WERE NOT BEING MET BY TRADITIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND SERVICES. PARAMILITARY GROUPS AROSE AS DEFENSE MECHANISMS AGAINST SECTARIAN INVASIONS FROM ADJOINING OPPOSITION DISTRICTS AND CONTINUED AS ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF VIOLENT TACTICS AGAINST UNWANTED GOVERNMENT CONTROL AND INTERFERENCE. CIVIC ACTION GROUPS AROSE IN AN EFFORT TO DEAL WITH THE HOUSING, FOOD, AND SOCIAL NEEDS OF THOSE RESIDING IN PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES. THE CIVIC ACTION GROUPS SOUGHT TO INFLUENCE STATUTORY AGENCIES TO GAIN RESOURCES AND POLICY SUPPORT FOR THE MEETING OF COMMUNITY NEEDS. DEMONSTRATIONS, BOYCOTTS, STRIKES, AND OTHER ESSENTIALLY PEACEFUL MANIPULATIVE TACTICS HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED BY THESE GROUPS. WHILE TACTICS FOR INFLUENCING EVENTS HAVE DIFFERED BETWEEN THE CIVIC ACTION GROUPS AND THE PARAMILITARY GROUPS, THEIR GOALS HAVE BEEN ESSENTIALLY THE SAME--TO INFLUENCE THE ESTABLISHED POLITICAL STRUCTURE TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE DESIRES OF THOSE REPRESENTED. BOTH THE CIVIC ACTION AND PARAMILITARY GROUPS APPARENTLY RECOGNIZE THEIR LIMITATIONS IN TERMS OF ACCOMPLISHING A RADICAL OVERTHROW OF EXISTING POLITICAL STRUCTURES. THE POLITICAL AUTHORITIES RECOGNIZE, AT THE SAME TIME, THAT THEIR ABILITY TO ESTABLISH A STABLE POLITICO-SOCIO-ECONOMIC SYSTEM DEPENDS ON THEIR ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP OF GIVE-AND-TAKE WITH THE VARIOUS COMMUNITY ACTION GROUPS EXPRESSIVE OF THE PERCEIVED NEEDS OF THE VARIOUS GROUPS AND LOCALES IN NORTHERN IRELAND. THE HOPE FOR STABILITY LIES IN THE WORKING OUT OF THIS COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP OF MUTUAL SUPPORT WHERE TRUST, IF NOT ALWAYS AGREEMENT, CAN EXIST BETWEEN THE POLITICAL AUTHORITIES AND THE PEOPLE WHO BOTH MAINTAIN IT AND ARE AFFECTED BY ITS PERFORMANCE. (RCB)