Over the past year, there have been frequent calls for renewed civility, amplified of

late by the shenanigans related to the U.S. elections and the return of COVID-19
restrictions by many Western governments. Common amongst these calls is the
reminder that we must act civilly and respectfully as good citizens, even in the face of
disruptions to our lives and liberties.

Our definition of what it means to be a civil citizen began to form in the 14th century
as western societies began to abandon barbarism and embrace humanism.
Humanism promoted thinking beyond oneself and finding ways to settle
disagreements that did not involve conflict. At the same time, we began to associate
civility with law and order and good government. Civility was seen as 'the force that
made civilizations civilized.'

During the Victorian era, a more precise definition of civility emerged, which remains
today. Civility: formal politeness and courtesy in behaviour or speech.
Simultaneously, civility began to be associated with the concept of ‘government of
the people, by the people, for the people’, the basis of modern democracy. Civility
was recognized as “the bond between people who have nothing more in common
than living in the same society” and “the political link between citizens” Carole
Gayet-Viaud identified in her paper Civility and Democracy. The link between
democracy and civility has grown over the years, and they are now inseparable.

In the last decade, the idea of respect or, more specifically, respecting someone's
opinion without being disrespectful was added to this amalgam. To agree to disagree,
without being disagreeable.

In a recent talk, Vanderbilt University Law School Professor Ganesh Sitaraman

identified “the essential components of democracy are economic equality, social
unity, and a government that acts in the interest of the people." Social unity and
civility are two sides of the same coin. Professor Ganesh argues that neoliberalism
has created an imbalance over the past forty years, which now threatens many
Western democracies. We are on a path to a return to feudalism, where democracies
are relegated to serving the wealthy and 'donor class'.

As 600 years of history has shown us, any time there is an imbalance in one class of
citizens' rights and privileges over the other, it leads to unrest and incivility. In recent
memory, segregation laws in the U.S. and South Africa were the imbalance that
created considerable unrest and incivility until repealed. There are many other
examples. In the wrong hands and without the proper checks and balances,
democracy has proven to be a useful tool for suppressing the rights of minorities and
the underprivileged.

Civility is dependent on a balance between rights and freedoms. It's not by accident
that the symbol synonymous with fairness and justice is a balance beam scale. Nor
that Lady Justice holds a balanced beam scale in one hand and sword in the other to
defend against those aimed at disrupting the delicate balance. Lady Justice has her
work cut out for her these days as the arbitrator of neoliberalism's efforts to tip the
scales in their favour.

"A great democracy has got to be progressive, or it will soon cease to be great, or a
democracy” was Theodore Roosevelt’s retort in the early days of self-governance. I
would add to be a great democracy also requires an unbending commitment to
achieving "the rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality,
ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status," as stipulated in the UN Human
Rights Declaration.

Social media is often blamed, ironically via social media, to add to our societies'
current lack of civility. President Trump's tweets the exemplar. Before social media, it
took real time and effort to share one's thoughts, especially on a national or global
scale. Today, with a few taps on our mobile devices, we can share our opinions, our
pollice verso, without contemplation or exertion.

Social media has levelled the playing field for reporting the day's events. No longer is
the content of our news left in the hands of media moguls and spin-doctors. On the
other hand, it has never been easier to spread disinformation.

Just think back to the disinformation that floated around in the early spring
concerning wearing masks and the incivility it created. Now we are better informed,
most of us are deferential to wearing a mask, when and where required.

How do we achieve a balance? A balance between neoliberalism and socialism. A

balance between truth and lies. A balance between civility and incivility.

As a child, my friends and I would play a game where one kid would sit on one ends
of a teeter-totter, one would sit on the opposite end, and a third kid would stand in
the middle. The middle kid would then shift their weight towards the lighter child to
get the teeter-totter balanced. This exercise took little effort for the kids sitting on
the opposite ends. But the kid in the middle had to be constantly aware of any
changes that would disrupt the balance and adjust their position accordingly.

I maintain that our current spate of incivility will only be addressed when those in
the middle shift our voice and vote to achieve a better balance in our societies.
Democracy was created to provide a level playing field with justice, freedom and
equal opportunity for all citizens, not just the moneyed class. It’s time we shifted our
collective weight to bring democracy back into balance.