Non-Profits and the State: Cooperation, Dependency, and Contestation
Author: Dr. Anna Neya Kazanskaia
Publisher: NEYA Global Publishing
Article | NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies
Year: 2025
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5669-1676
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-fncimpc-cv-sc-05
About the Article
The relationship between non-profit organizations and the state is inherently dynamic—marked by cooperation, dependency, and contestation. This article examines how NGOs navigate diverse political contexts, from corporatist welfare systems to restrictive and hybrid regimes. It analyzes typologies of NGO–state relations encompassing partnership, co-optation, and repression, emphasizing how these arrangements shape organizational autonomy and civic resilience. Drawing on comparative examples from Scandinavia, China, Russia, and India, the discussion reveals that NGO independence is negotiated rather than absolute, conditioned by state funding, regulation, and political discourse. The article advances the concept of “principled pragmatism” as a strategy through which NGOs balance collaboration with advocacy, safeguarding mission fidelity while adapting to political realities. This framework contributes to the broader understanding of civil society’s resilience under both supportive and hostile governance regimes.
Key Topics
- NGO–state relations and typologies
- Cooperation and co-optation
- Repression and adaptive resilience
- Welfare state partnerships
- Autonomy and dependency
- Principled pragmatism and civic space
Suggested Citation
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Non-Profits and the State: Cooperation, Dependency, and Contestation. NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies. NEYA Global Publishing. https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-cvscunprrsenv-05
References
Anheier, H. K. (2014). Nonprofit organizations: Theory, management, policy (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Hildebrandt, T. (2013). Social organizations and the authoritarian state in China. Cambridge University Press.
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139108768
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Identity and legitimacy of non-profits: Negotiating recognition, trust, and accountability. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-cvscunprrsenv-04
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Challenges and critiques of non-profits: The paradoxes of legitimacy, accountability, and sustainability. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-cvscunprrsenv-08
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Functions, Impact, and Identity of Civil Society. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/functions-impact-civil-society-2025
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Public Policy: Power and Influence in Decision-Making. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/public-policy-2025
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Organizational Legitimacy: Earning & Sustaining Public Trust. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/legitimacy-2025
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Board-Executive Relation. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/board-executive-relations-2025
Salamon, L. M. (1995). Partners in public service: Government-nonprofit relations in the modern welfare state. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Toepler, S., & Zimmer, A. (Eds.). (2020). The Routledge handbook of civil society in Asia. Routledge.
Wischermann, J., Bunk, B., & Köllner, P. (2020). Civil society and authoritarian regimes. Democratization, 27(6), 1025-1042.
