Civil-Society Organizations’ Capacity Building in the Local Governmental Sector: Is It Working? A Case Study

The role that a strong civil society plays in socio-economic development is a subject of major scholarly attention today. Many benefits from having a strong civil society are reported in the literature. There is, however, no generally accepted view regarding how capacity-building efforts can help to develop a strong civil society, especially in the Central and Eastern European countries.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand the causal mechanisms existing between capacity-building efforts, a strengthened civil society and socioeconomic development. This case study suggests that a Hungarian local government did appear to strengthen associational activities in its community. Using process tracing, the research identifies specific factors that lead this village to take these uncommon steps, and it assesses the implications for civic life.