Citizens in civil society control the state to varying degrees.

In civil society, citizens are expected to hold the state accountable, monitor its actions, and shape its policies through their participation in various forms of organized and informal associations. However, the extent to which citizens actually control the state depends on a range of factors such as the strength of civil society, the nature of state power, the level of transparency and responsiveness of state institutions, and the degree of political culture that values transparency and accountability. In some cases, citizens may have significant control over the state, while in other cases they may have relatively little influence.