Is Corruption an enemy of civil society? The case of Central and Eastern Europe

This article examines the durability of civil society in a number of post-communist countries where civil society appears as either durable or fragile in certain contexts. The questions the article attempts to address are: what factors contribute to the condition of either durability or fragility of civil society organizations in post-communist countries, and whether corruption has replaced the legacy of communism as a factor undermining trust in others and in government? The author reviews the literature on civil society in Central and Eastern Europe and argues that the perception of corruption influences civil society in Central and Eastern Europe, and that trust and confidence in government (taken as central for a vibrant civil society), interact with the perception of corruption and ultimately affect civil society. As such, the interaction between the perception of corruption, trust and confidence alters the magnitude of the effect of trust on civil society.