Topic:
To compose an argument in answer to the question, “On balance, does the Internet contribute to the
advance or to the decline of civil society?”
Consider that, in July 2007, at a conference entitled, “Democracy and the Modern World:
Prospects and Challenges,” academics and policymakers gathered to discuss the same question,
which they justified in the following way:
“There is an emerging debate that asks whether the Internet helps or hurts civil
society. For some, the Internet reduces communication barriers, expands
information availability and allows groups to target new audiences. A contrary
view, however, suggests that these benefits come at significant costs in terms of
human engagement. The internet effectively eliminates the need for group
contact and organization and, by extension, diminishes the trust-enhancing
character of group membership.”
Does the Internet contribute to the advancement or to the decline of civil society? It is one of
the most controversial topics in America. Some argue that new technology, such as TV and Internet
hurts civil society. Robert Putnam, a scholar of public policy at Harvard University, believes that
