Civil Society definitions

Civil society remains hard to define as it is deeply complex. Generally, the term suggests how public life should function within and between societies.

Civil society is mainly composed of organisations not associated with the government, such as professional associations, churches, cultural institutions and businesses. They monitor government policies and actions and try to hold government leaders accountable.

However, some political and social scientists have noted that many civil society groups have now obtained a remarkable amount of political influence without having been directly elected.