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Ngo Legitimacy: Reassessing Democracy, Accountability And Transparency, Rana Lehr-Lehnardt

Cornell Law School Inter-University Graduate Student Conference Papers

Non-governmental organizations have enjoyed an unprecedented amount of influence on national as well as international fronts for at least the last decade. A recent survey reveals educated Americans and Europeans trust NGOs more than they trust governments, corporations, and the media. As their power augments, NGOs have become increasingly skeptical and critical of the power held by the United Nations and by sovereign states. NGOs accuse these world powers of engaging in rule-making processes that are lacking in transparency, democracy, and accountability, thus lacking in legitimacy. Now, even as their power grows, NGOs are falling under this same criticism. Democracy, …