THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL SECTOR AND DEMOCRACY EMPIRICAL REFLECTIONS AND FINDINGS IN THE BALTIC STATES: RESULTS OF META-ANALYSIS (PART I)

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 thirty
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