What is "civil society"

n. All of the institutions, voluntary organizations and corporate body that are less than the state but greater than the family

Civil society is the "aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that manifest interests and will of citizens." Civil society includes the family and the private sphere, referred to as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business. By other authors, "civil society" is used in the sense of 1) the aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that manifest interests and will of citizens or 2) individuals and organizations in a society which are independent of the government.

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). Especially in the discussions among thinkers of Eastern and Central Europe, civil society is seen also as a concept of civic values. One widely known representative of this concept is the Polish former dissident Adam Michnik.

Institutions composing civil society may be for-profit or not-for-profit. According to some philosophers, most notably Antonio Gramsci, civil society produces the dominant ideologies of the time. This occurs because of overlapping associations between leaders of civil society and the owners of the means of production in a given society. Control over the means of production allows the leaders of civil society to promote forms of false consciousness which serve their own interests, even at the expense of workers.