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The Assault on Civil Society: Explaining State Crackdown on NGOs

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  • Chaudhry, Suparna

Abstract

Nongovernmental organizations are central to contemporary global governance, and their numbers and influence have grown dramatically since the middle of the twentieth century. However, in the last three decades more than 130 states have repressed these groups, suggesting that a broad range of states perceive them as costly. When they choose to repress NGOs, under what conditions do states use violent strategies versus administrative means? The choice depends on two main factors: the nature of the threat posed by these groups, and the consequences of cracking down on them. Violent crackdown is useful in the face of immediate domestic threats, such as protests. However, violence may increase the state's criminal liability, reduce its legitimacy, violate human rights treaties, and further intensify mobilization against the regime. Therefore, states are more likely to use administrative crackdown, especially in dealing with long-term threats, such as when NGOs influence electoral politics. I test this theory using an original data set of administrative crackdowns on NGOs, as well as violent crackdown on NGO activists, across all countries from 1990 to 2013. To shed light on the strategic decision between violent or administrative crackdown, and how states may perceive threats from domestic and international NGOs differently, I provide a case study from India. I conclude by discussing the implications of this crackdown for the use of civil society actors by the international community, as well as donors and citizens in the global South.

Suggested Citation

  • Chaudhry, Suparna, 2022. "The Assault on Civil Society: Explaining State Crackdown on NGOs," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 76(3), pages 549-590, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:intorg:v:76:y:2022:i:3:p:549-590_3
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    Cited by:

    1. Danielle Resnick & Shilpa Deshpande, 2023. "Illiberal democracy and nutrition advocacy," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 41(6), November.
    2. Sunn Bush, Sarah & Cottiero, Christina & Prather, Lauren, 2024. "Zombies Ahead: Explaining the Rise of Low-Quality Election Monitoring," Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, Working Paper Series qt2fc2d3pr, Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, University of California.
    3. Bimal Adhikari & Jeffrey King & Lie Philip Santoso, 2024. "The limits of shame: UN shaming, NGO repression, and women's protests," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 41(3), pages 197-217, May.
    4. Corwin, Hillary, 2023. "Coercive and catalytic strategies for human rights promotion: State violence and foreign assistance," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    5. Richard Youngs, 2023. "COVID‐19 and democratic resilience," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 14(1), pages 149-156, February.
    6. Maria S. Tysiachniouk & Juha Kotilainen, 2022. "Intentional Communities Finding Space Amid Geopolitical Turmoil: Belbek Valley Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-28, September.

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