Citizens in voluntary work – welfare producers or watchdogs for democracy?

Abstract

In the Danish debate on the role of civil society in the society, it has become increasingly clear that the dominant political actors want the sector, with its voluntary, unpaid labor, to take on a greater role in the provision of services. What is under discussion is what form this participation should take. Here, there is a wide range of different forms of participation ranging from political activism to various forms of active involvement of citizens in central political decision-making to public service tasks on a voluntary unpaid basis. In clarifying the role of civil society and the voluntary unpaid work of the citizens, it is important first to clarify what the civil society and thus the unpaid voluntary work is, as well as its relation to the state and the market. In the article, I will discuss the role of voluntary unpaid work in the Danish welfare society. I do this by addressing three questions: What is the significance of the unpaid voluntary work and the civilian sector for welfare production? How has the unpaid voluntary work in Denmark changed over the last two decades? How is the relationship between paid and unpaid work in Danish civil society?