Social Capital

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how social capital is the currency of civil society by demonstrating the role of its mobilization within social movements. It proposes that social capital is the currency of civil society in much the same way that financial capital is a component of the market sector. The first section briefly outlines three integral elements of social capital, networks, norms and social trust. It is followed by a discussion of the mobilization of social capital as it pertains to social movements and promotes civic engagement. The conclusion reflects that the social capital/civil society and the financial capital/market sector analogy is justified, as social capital acts as civil society's bargaining tool.

From the Paper:

"The final continuous element of social capital is social trust. As an attribute of social capital trust encourages society to overcome quiescence and to take part in political activism by instilling confidence. Underpinning this confidence is a sense of mutual supportiveness of each other and for the cause, that has united them. Interwoven with social trust is the notion of reciprocity, or the implicit assumption that those participating will get something in return for supporting any form of civil action (Onyx, 2000:60-1). This assumption also motivates social movements, the link between social capital, civil society and bargaining becomes apparent. Davis argues that the public has a distinct lack of trust in government and its processes, he goes on to say that those possessing social capital are better equipped to initiate civic engagement (2001:2-4). Which brings us to one of the most common mechanisms for collective action, that of social movements."

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