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The Role of Civil Society in Democratization

Most studies on democratization and the performance of democracy posit an intimate connection between the strength of civil society, successful consolidation of democracy, and a well-functioning democratic system. In the last two decades or so billions of dollars have been spent on various efforts aimed at strengthening civil society in newly democratized countries. Yet, despite the consensus on the desirability of civil society, there is still much disagreement on how it is to be defined and measured, how it evolves over time, what dimensions of democracy it shapes, and how the mechanisms by which it affects (both positively and negatively) the quality of democracy work.