Reyes AnnaA non-governmental organization is a voluntary association of people that has a top-down internal structure and a fixed membership.
A social movement is also a voluntary formation of citizens that arises as a result of their free will on the basis of common interests and does not have a fixed membership.
In a democratic society, the state does not interfere in their activities, although it does regulate them in accordance with the current legislation. The main principles of public associations are a combination of personal and common interests, self-government, equality of all members, legality and transparency.
The constitutions of democratic states guarantee the freedom to establish public associations, which must be based on democratic principles and meet the requirements of openness and transparency. In most countries of the world, public associations enjoy the following rights to fulfill their goals and objectives, as provided for in their charters
- To participate in the formation of state power and administration;
- to implement legislative initiatives;
- to participate in the development of decisions of public authorities and governments;
- represent and protect the interests of their members (participants) in state and public bodies.
The state creates equal opportunities for the activities of all public associations. Only those aimed at changing the constitutional order through violence, propaganda of war, violence or cruelty, fascism and neo-fascism, and the creation of illegal paramilitary groups are not subject to legalization.
Public associations perform a number of functions.
Opposition function. Its role is to prevent excessive centralization of power and to promote the progressive development of civil society. In order to achieve this, civic organizations resort to various measures: putting forward alternative programs, appealing to public opinion, control, etc.
Protective function. It is aimed at protecting the interests and needs of the organization’s members through demands, applications to state authorities, the government, and legislative initiatives. Radical methods of putting pressure on administrative bodies and protecting people’s interests include strikes, demonstrations, rallies, ultimatums, and picketing.
Educational function. It is aimed at forming moral, political, managerial, legal culture, creativity, and professionalism in citizens.
Personnel function. It consists in training of qualified personnel for state and public authorities, institutions and organizations.
The political function of public organizations and movements is not to fight for power, but to exert pressure on it in order to realize the interests of their members.
Accordingly, only those of the numerous associations and interest groups that exert pressure on the centers of power can be considered socio-political organizations. In Western political science, they are called pressure groups or interest groups.
Typical means of pressure exerted by public associations on the authorities are
- direct nomination of their members to representative and legislative bodies of power, as well as to functionaries of the administrative apparatus
- participation of members of the organization in the work of parliamentary commissions;
- maintaining personal contacts with members of parliament, the government, and government officials.
In many countries, such a form of pressure on legislators as lobbying (behind the scenes) is widely practiced. Lobbying emerged as a specific institution of the US political system to influence specific private and public organizations on the decision-making process of the authorities on domestic and foreign policy.