ABSTRACT
Civil society comprises social, religious, professional, political, and civic organizations outside of government whose motivations are to implement charitable aims such as poor relief, to maintain professional standards, to press for political change, to support the arts and education, primarily through voluntarism. Compulsory school attendance laws and the great expenditures for education both demonstrate people recognition of the importance of education to people democratic society. Religions provide ethical guidance for their members that enhance the workings of their societies and economies. The chapter reviews that how political parties and one-issue pressure groups, media, and professional and religious organizations affect public policy including the allocation of social welfare transfers, regulatory oversight, or laws governing personal deportment. China is a resolutely top-down society, governed by the Chinese Communist Party with a monopoly on politics and governance. Political parties are not included in the London School of Economics definition but rather, by implication, are treated as part of the government.
