ABSTRACT
The term civil society has several uses. In one use a civil society refers to a regime committed to secure the rule of law on behalf of the common good. In contemporary society the common good refers to a variety of possible items, including but not limited to the provision of basic rights, public safety, education, systems of communication and roads, national parks, and so on. But the term civil society has another use as well, and it is this second use that will be given a predominant place in this book. The second use of the term refers to a space that exists between the national government and the individual. In that space, there are a variety of different groups and associations, each of which is dedicated to uphold certain values and to achieve particular ends.
