Nevyriausybinių organizacijų sektorius ir demokratija. Empirinės refleksijos Baltijos šalyse: metaanalizės rezultatai (I dalis)

Abstract

The development of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe has become a popular subject of research since the collapse of the USSR. Many scholars have produced comparative studies gathering diverse data and providing interpretations. However, not much has been published on the relation between civil society and democracy, and the way in which non-governmental organizations, as a part of civil society, impact democracy. This is the first in a series of articles analysing, on the qualitative and quantitative bases, the influence of civil society on the development of democracy in the Baltic States, by applying meta-analyses. In tackling the objective of this study, the article uses correlation on thirty four impact factors defining the primary impact of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on democracy and tvirty six NGOs’ secondary impact factors. The primary factors are more important for the interpretation of impact contexts. The importance of secondary factors could be valuable as well, though it should be noted that their role could be questionable. The secondary factors impact the development and professionalism of the NGO sector, which in turn influences democracy. Therefore, secondary factors can be seen as consequential, though not directly.