ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the structure, level, and determinants of citizen participation in Costa Rica and the impact of civil society upon both participation and democratic norms. Although participation is thus limited in a representative democracy like Costa Rica, the amount and nature of actual citizen activity nevertheless remains a critical aspect of democracy and its quality. The modes of participation in Costa Rica were generally similar to those found in other democracies. In comparative terms, four modes of participation found in Costa Rica—voting, party activism, group activism, and contacting public officials—had been identified elsewhere. Although strikes are nominally economic rather than political, in Costa Rica they have important political dimensions because the Labor Ministry must approve them and the state often becomes involved in negotiating settlements. In comparison to other Central American nations, Costa Rica has had little political violence. The chapter reveals that urban Costa Ricans in 1995 reported considerably less communal activism than did the 1973 national sample.
