Voluntary associations and state expansion in Quebec - 1955-1970

The debate about the relationship between the state and voluntary groups ha s been formally expressed in the distinct theoretical positions of Ernest G ellner and Jurgen Habermas. These authors' respective views on civil societ y and the public sphere give rise to conflicting expectations about the eff ect of state expansion on associationalism. In light of this debate, the ev olution of voluntary associations in Quebec during the Quiet Revolution is empirically documented and its theoretical significance discussed. Using nu merical and historical evidence, it is concluded that in Quebec, during the period considered, the provincial state and self-organized groups evolved jointly and in synergy rather than at the detriment of one another.