is an institution bound to fail since it creates a very particular disorder (namely the production of statistical reports) which the political system can co-opt for its own purposes.

Sometimes anthropologist who research and work in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have at some point or another had that sinking feelign that these NGOs have been set up to fail. Luhmann offeres a theoretical explanation affirming this suspicion. From a political system's perspective, NGOs often play a specific part in perpetuating the political system. They must create a very particular disorder, one which the government bureaucracy can co-opt for its own purposes. What these organizations often produce, at the most literal level, for the political system are reports reports written according to the political system's specifications about the clients they have been funded to assist. The political system can transform these reports into tools of legitimation... the reports act as evidence and fuel for all-important statistics' (Gershon 2005:108)

is problematic in that NGO provisions take the place of government provisions, thus accelerating the scaling back of the state.

David Harvey's book A Brief History of Neo-Liberalism. The rhetoric of universal human rights and individual sovereignty, both concerns of the NGOs, has slotted into a neo-liberal view of the world that also stresses individual rights and the limited scope for state intervention. As Harvey points out, this can accelerate the scaling back of the state through 'privatisation by NGO', in which NGO provision takes the place of government provision.'

is a Trojan Horse, doing what the missionaries used to do in Colonial times.

NGOs are dangerous. They do what the missionaries used to do in Colonial times. They are Trojan Horses. The worse the situation, the more the NGOs.

is the missionary of the corporate world, there to mop up the anger in neoliberal politics.

NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they are supposed to maintain the status quo. They are the missionaries of the corporate world.

is funded, to the tune of millions, by the IMF and the World Bank, the most opaque and secretive entities, to fight against "corruption" and for "transparency" in order to standardise a situation, so that global capital can flow without any impediment.

The IMF and the World Bank, the most opaque and secretive entities, put millions into NGOs who fight against "corruption" and for "transparency." They want the Rule of Law - as long as they make the laws. They want transparency in order to standardise a situation, so that global capital can flow without any impediment.

is part of a wider NGO-ization of politics, a trend which threatens to turn resistance into a well-mannered, reasonable, salaried, 9-to-5 job. With a few perks thrown in. Real resistance has real consequences. And no salary.

The NGO-ization of politics threatens to turn resistance into a well-mannered, reasonable, salaried, 9-to-5 job. With a few perks thrown in. Real resistance has real consequences. And no salary.

NGO, n.All

NGO