Civil society

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Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.^[1] By other authors, civil society is used in the sense of 1) the aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that advance the interests and welfare of citizens or 2) individuals and organizations in a society which are independent of the government.^[2]

Sometimes the term civil society is used in the more general sense of "the elements such as freedom of speech, an independent judiciary, etc, that make up a democratic society" (Collins English Dictionary).^[3] Especially in the discussions among thinkers of Eastern and Central Europe, civil society is seen also as a normative concept of civic values.