ABSTRACT
Third sector organisations make an important contribution to Australian society and politics. Unlike their economic contribution, the social and political contribution of third sector organisations is far harder to measure. A strong third sector is said to underpin both a strong economy and a healthy democracy. Third sector organisations are said to be the major vehicles for giving identity and voice to the marginalised and for bringing about social change. The one body of political science research in Australia that looks at a group of nonprofits is that dealing with pressure or interest groups. Their role in articulating various interests to government is recognised, but their importance is generally downplayed. In sociology, there have been several bodies of research and theory that touch on voluntary associations. Unlike the political science tradition, some of the sociological research has been critical of nonprofits. This critical approach came from those writing from a left perspective, mostly some variant of Marxism.
