List of Tables - List of Abbreviations - Introduction: Civil Society, the State and Non-Governmental Organizations in Central America - State and Civil Society in Central America - The Political Role of NGOs in Costa Rica - The Political Role of NGOs in Nicaragua - Lessons for NGOs/Toward Global Civil Society? - Bibliography - Index

Many analysts are looking to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as the promoters of more equitable and democratic forms of development because of their status as actors in civil society. Based on a critical evaluation of six rural development projects in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Supporting Civil Society shows that NGOs often perpetuate paternalism and dependency. It is argued that both international and national NGOs need to support social movements which are best able to express the demands of people at the grassroots.