Civil Society as Third Global Force in a Tri-Polar World Modern civil society has issued two declarations of independence one from the State and the other from the Market. Civil society consciously sees itself as a countervailing force against totalitarian tendencies in State and Market, which can produce unacceptable environmental, economic, political, cultural, social, human, and spiritual problems in society. Civil Society is the third global force along with the State and Market. The WTO defeat of the combined powers of the State and Market by civil society in the Battle of Seattle emphasizes this. We live in a tri-polar world, constituted by the forces of the Market, the State, and Civil Society.
All societies have three realms that are autonomous, but organically related with each other.
These are the economic, political, and cultural realms. The Market is situated in the economy. The State is active in the political realm. The natural habitat of Civil Society is in culture. Markets have economic power, States use political power, and Civil Society mobilizes cultural power.