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An interpretation is proposed of the way in which the plan for building the constitution of a post-communist civil society in Romania is developing. The first months of the transition gave rise to a number of “civil” associations, but waves of humanitarian activity in 1990 and 1991 rapidly changed the plan’s direction. The Author shows how the new associative sector quickly polarized around the figurehead of the non-governmental organization active in running post-communist social affairs and supported, strongly for some, by a variety of Western partner organizations (NGOs and international financial institutions or charities). He then examines the factors that favoured this polarization (local dynamics and international constraints), the consequences of this trend and the threats currently hanging over the project which is highly dependent – economically and culturally – on its Western partners.