Category: Basic concept

A non-governmental organization is a voluntary and organizationally formalized association of citizens created to express and satisfy their interests and needs on the basis of self-government.

Parties grow out of social movements and organizations. Social movements and organizations form the social environment in which political parties operate.

A non-governmental organization is a voluntary association of people that has a top-down internal structure and a fixed membership.

According to all classical definitions of civil society, a non-governmental organization is one that is created by citizens themselves to promote or protect their common collective interest, independent of the state.