The changing relationship between governments and NGOs | LSE Research

Historically, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have been agents for change, a thorn in the side of governments, holding them to account and calling out bad behaviour. As such, the number of NGOs in a country and their variety and quality have traditionally been seen as a measure of a democracy’s strength. However, with NGOs increasingly setting up in undemocratic countries like China, does this raise questions about their shifting position in society? Are NGOs moving away from an activist role and increasingly becoming service providers? Picking up the slack and relieving pressure on governments where austerity measures, economic reforms and privatisation are leaving people vulnerable. “Years ago, I was working at a think tank in the US and became acquainted with some of the NGOs working in China. At that point, I became really intrigued as to how these organisations were able to carve out a space and flourish, at least in terms of number, in an authoritarian state where, accordin

Historically, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have been agents for change, a thorn in the side of governments, holding them to account and calling out bad behaviour. As such, the number of NGOs in a country and their variety and quality have traditionally been seen as a measure of a democracy’s strength. However, with NGOs increasingly setting up in undemocratic countries like China, does this raise questions about their shifting position in society? Are NGOs moving away from an activist role and increasingly becoming service providers? Picking up the slack and relieving pressure on gove