Civil society is more than simply a cluster of institutions.

• It is a sphere where interest groups and individuals come together, formulate and articulate their interests and negotiate conflict (such as between trade unions and employer groups).
• It is a bridge between the interests of individual citizen and the state.
• It provides norms and networks of trust that can improve the efficiency of society by facilitating co-ordinated public action (Putnam quoted in Meltzer, 2000).