IntroductionThe process of globalization has strongly contributed to the increased activity of the global market and partly to its integration. However, we can ask ourselves whether globalization has helped the distribution of democracy. I'm afraid many people will respond negatively. So, does the concentration of global capital mainly in the northern hemisphere positively influence democracy? Civil society has the task of defending and protecting democracy in the era of globalization, particularly with regard to global management and the redistribution of the benefits of globalization and the mitigation of its downsides. There are also opinions, among others those of the American John Cavanagh of the Institute of Policy Studies and Martin Khor, research director of the Third World Network in Penang, Malaysia, according to which in the 21st century there will be a return to the brutal capitalism of the 19th century, and that globalization has resulted in a destruction of the power of nation states. Furthermore, as Riva Krut argues, the fate of democracy is no longer in the hands of national states, but rather in the hands of civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The role and importance of civil society in the era of globalizationIt is worth remembering. that civil society is not meant to replace governments or commercial institutions. It is supposed to create what is called the third sector which builds a functional society which has the right to observe the implementation of public policies and preserve the transparency of governance. Civil society has been defined as follows by the London School of Economic Center for Civil Society: Civil society refers to the arena of unconstrained collective action around shared interests, goals and values. In theory, its institutional form...... middle of document ......document no. 83, April 1997, UNRISD.7. London School of Economics Economic Center for Civil Society: http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/CCS/introduction/default.htm8. ECOSOC Statute for non-governmental organizations: http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/p.willetts/NGOS/RES31-96.HTM9. The Rural Advancement Foundation International: http://www.rafiusa.org/10. Third World Network, World Trade Organization, Trade and Environment, Third World Network position paper, Penang, Malaysia, 1994.11. Vander Stichele Myriam, Transnational Institute, TNCs run amuck, in ECO/CSD, April 29, 1996.12. Public Services International, Hall-Jones Peter, The rise and rise of NGOs: http://www.world-psi.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=11738&TEMPLATE=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm13. UNRISD, States of disarray: the social effects of globalization, UNRISD, Geneva, 1995.