ABSTRACT
This chapter develops the basic dimensions of a civil society, including the values that are necessary for a civil society, and the importance of civil society in a democracy. Participation in civil society is a critical dimension of political engagement in a democratic society, and group associations that develop here are key to the cultivation of democratic values and behaviors. Groups in civil society also mediate relationships between individuals and government and individuals and each other. The most important democratic values developed in a civil society are toleration and respect. The market dimensions of civil society are also discussed, leading to considerations of individual rights and the economic forces at work in civil society.
