Civic Structure

Civic structure, an attribute of community, is the capacity of the community to engage in dialogues and undertake activities that intentionally benefit the community. Civic structure influences how communities frame problems and make decisions about resource allocations to solve those problems. There is an assumption that high levels of trust among citizens and groups, tolerance, cooperation, and civic behavior are necessary for community problem solving. This does not imply total agreement or lack of conflict, but rather respect for and enforcement of social and legal rules that permit dissenting viewpoints and opinions to be publicly voiced.

The civic structure of a community consists of two basic components: individual actions in the public domain and complex, dynamic networks among people within the community and across communities. The concept utilizes several literatures, including those on civil society, social capital, democracy, community, and leadership development. The term civic is political, implying citizens' voluntary engagement in matters both public and private that have an impact on the collective community. Scholars Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba use the term civic culture to describe a culture characterized by high tolerance for plurality of interests, mutual trust among citizens, and consensus on the legitimacy of political institutions. Political scientist Mark Warren refers to civic virtue in associations whose goal is societal good, created through cooperation. Robert Putnam, a sociologist and political scientist, puts social trust and civic engagement in a causal chain: Individuals interact with others (civic engagement), they learn to work together to solve problems, and thus they create social trust. This social trust leads to good public policies, better economic development, and efficient public administration.