Civil society and legal culture: basic ideas about a consistent and inevitable relationship

Abstract

The essay examined the essential relationship between civil society and legal culture in the Cuban context, emphasizing the need to enhance legal education among the population of Sancti Spíritus through an interdisciplinary and interinstitutional approach. Based on an in-depth review of specialized literature and normative documents, it argued that legal culture constitutes a fundamental pillar of the socialist project, promoting knowledge, the conscious practice of legality, and citizen participation. In Cuba, civil society maintains a close relationship with the State, oriented toward collective well-being and the strengthening of national identity. Non-governmental organizations, as legitimate expressions of this civil society, play a relevant role in political and ideological debate, decision-making, and civic education, without contradicting the social project. Several challenges were identified, such as gaps in legal knowledge, insufficient media coverage, and the need to deepen theoretical understanding of the role of the State, legality, and hegemony. Finally, it became evident that the improvement of legal culture constituted a strategic objective to consolidate a more conscious, participatory, and cohesive society around its social and normative principles.