ARTICLE – JOURNEY TO AMERICA SERIES. (2/4) : THE COUNTRY OF CIVIL SOCIETY

The United States as the Country of Civil Society

For eleven days, between August 2 and 13, 2025, I visited four metropolitan regions in the United States: Miami, Austin, Houston, and Dallas. This journey was more than a simple trip. It was a deep immersion into American culture, especially in what I consider its most defining trait: the strength of civil society.

By choosing the title “Journey to America” for this series of reflections, I was inevitably reminded of the classic work by Alexis de Tocqueville, the French thinker who, in the 19th century, visited the United States and recorded his impressions in Democracy in America. Tocqueville was struck by the vigor of American society, its organizational capacity, and the active role citizens played in shaping public life. With due proportions — after all, I am a Brazilian theologian, not a French philosopher — my intention was also to look beyond the surface of the trip and turn this experience into reflection.

What stood out most to me was the sense of community responsibility that permeates American culture. In times of public calamity or local problems, the community itself responds immediately. There is no expectation of a top-down or governmental solution. There is a culture of individual initiative and, at the same time, mutual care that reveals a deep social pact. It’s as if every citizen says, “This is our problem, let’s solve it together.”

This attitude is present in many aspects of daily life. The way Americans welcome new members into the community, support one another, and organize to protect each other — all of this reveals a strong, vibrant, and active civil society. And this trait is not disconnected from faith. American culture, predominantly Protestant, carries in its DNA an ethic of service, generosity, and responsibility that shapes community life.

In conversations with brothers now living in the United States — many of them young people I pastored about fifteen years ago in Cuiabá — I heard stories that reinforced this perception. They told me that before someone is recognized by their role (pastor, entrepreneur, worker), they are evaluated by who they are in the community. Whether they are trustworthy, supportive, someone who contributes to the common good. This even influences practical aspects of life, such as university admissions, job opportunities, and access to credit. Social projects, community involvement, and volunteer work are valued as expressions of character and commitment.

This culture reflects what Dutch neo-Calvinist philosopher Roel Kuiper calls moral capital — the perception that there is value in community bonds and that, beyond a social contract, there exists a true social covenant. Kuiper argues that moral capital is the invisible fabric that sustains society, formed by trust, responsibility, and mutual commitment. It is this capital that allows communities to thrive, not just through formal structures, but through living and meaningful relationships.

In the United States, there is a clear appreciation for civil society as the protagonist of social transformation. Unlike Brazilian culture, where we often expect solutions from the State, the institutional church, or higher structures, the average American looks to themselves and their community as agents of change.

This is not cold individualism, but a sense of belonging that holds the individual accountable for the collective good. It’s a culture that first asks, “Who is this person to our community?” before asking, “What do they do?” And that, to me, is one of the greatest riches of American society.

This was the first of three reflections I share in this series. In the next texts, I will explore the church landscape in Texas and, finally, the culture of quality of life, entrepreneurship, and radical generosity that also deeply impacted me.