Robert D. Putnam
"social capital" refers to features of social organization such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit.
For a variety of reasons, life is easier in a community blessed with a substantial stock of social capital.
In the past, America has been very famous for civic engagement and an active civil society. This seems to be a prerequisite for democracy.
US has been enriched by this social capital through conventional civic associations. There used to be a lot of social connections and neighbourliness. But this has changed in recent times (1970s to 1990s). This is evidenced in declining voter turn out, church attendance, associations and clubs, union membership, parent teacher associations. Volunteering in mainline civic associations had also fallen from 24% of adults in 1974 to 20% in 1989.
But there has been a countertrend - in large organizations like environmental groups or feminist groups. They have large numbers of members - but mostly tertiary associaitons (ie 3rd level involvement) eg writing out donations. they don't get involved in each other.
a 2nd countertrend is the rise of non profit organizations.
a 3rd countertrend is the rise of small support groups eg Alcoholics Anonymous
The reduction in social capital is due to females going into workforce, mobility of the workforce, changing family units, technological advances changing habits (tv, computer, internet)
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