Civil societarianism

Civil societarianism is the belief that intermediary organizations and associations between the individual and the society have greater moral importance than the state. This differs from communitarianism in that it does not value such intermediary associations more than the individual. The term was coined by Arnold Kling, a George Mason University economics professor, to clear some ground between Randian libertarians and those libertarians that do not base their philosophy on selfishness.

In his article, Kling writes:

He also offers the concept as an alternative to ideas that Liberals should withdraw, or try to escape, from state-dominated societies.

I think we need to boost the organizations of civil society that compete with government: private schools, private firms, charities, neighborhood associations, and groups that supply public goods using the "open source" model.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's theory of the General Will serves as a good contrast to the civil societarian view, one in which all social groups should be ended apart from the state, so that they do not cause division and disunity. (See Robert Nisbet and his Quest For Community.)