civil societies
Non-governmental civic groups
Civil societies refers to the collective organizations, institutions, and associations that exist independently of government—nonprofits, advocacy groups, religious organizations, unions, and community networks.
The term emphasizes the space between individual citizens and the state where people voluntarily organize around shared interests: Healthy democracies depend on vibrant civil societies.
The singular civil society is more common when discussing the concept abstractly.
- associationsMental or organizational links
- nonprofitOrganization serving public good
- cooperationJoint action toward shared aims
- networksInterconnected groups or channels
- activismDirect effort for reform
NGOs · philanthropy · coalition building · town hall meetings · empowerment · voter registration · free press · democratic participation · volunteerism · non-governmental organizations · faith-based organizations · advocacy · human rights · grassroots · self-help groups · community · sign · community organizing
civil societiesgovernment
Authority over a state
the market · private sector · commerce · military · state apparatus
civil societiesauthoritarian regimes
Governments with unchecked power
dictatorships · autocracies · police states · tyrannies · totalitarianism
civil societiesfailed states
Countries lacking functional government
anomie · political apathy · mob · lawlessness · chaos
civil, society, civic, civics, civilian, civility, civilize, civilized, civilization