ABSTRACT
Civil society is an intermediary entity, standing between the private sphere and the state. It encompasses a vast array of organizations, formal and informal. Civil society is distinct and autonomous not only from the state and society at large but also from a fourth arena of social action, political society. It is also a vital instrument for containing the power of democratic governments, checking their potential abuses and violations of the law, and subjecting them to public scrutiny. Civil society provides an especially strong foundation for democracy when it generates opportunities for participation and influence at all levels of governance, not least the local level. Consolidation is the process by which democracy becomes so broadly and profoundly legitimate among its citizens that it is very unlikely to break down. It involves behavioral and institutional changes that normalize democratic politics and narrow its uncertainty. Robust political institutions are needed to accomplish economic reform under democratic conditions.
