Social Capital and Civil Society
IMF Working Papers, March 1, 2000
Source details
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- Social Capital and Civil Society
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Bibliographic details
- Authors: Francis Fukuyama
- Published: March 1, 2000
- Series: IMF Working Papers
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451849585.001
Summary
- Social capital is an instantiated informal norm that promotes cooperation between individuals.
- In the economic sphere it reduces transaction costs.
- In the political sphere it promotes the kind of associational life that is necessary for the success of limited government and modern democracy.
- Social capital often arises from iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma games, but it also is a byproduct of religion, tradition, shared historical experience, and other types of cultural norms.
- Awareness of social capital is often critical for understanding development, yet it is difficult to generate through public policy.
Major findings and analysis
- Social capital lowers transaction costs in economic interactions.
- Social capital supports associational life necessary for limited government and modern democracy.
- Multiple origins: iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma games; religion; tradition; shared historical experience; other cultural norms.
- Implication: While essential for development, social capital’s informal and culturally rooted nature makes it resistant to direct public-policy creation.
Subjects and keywords (as listed)
- Subjects: Civil society, Economic sectors, Education, Financial institutions, Human capital, Labor, Social networks, Stocks, Technology
- Keywords: Africa, centralizing state, Civil society, East Asia, economic policy, Europe, Human capital, Institutions, North America, physical capital, public policy, second generation reforms, social capital, Social networks, society, state, state-supplied version, Stocks, transaction costs, village association, Western Europe, WP
Content in this bundle
- Social Capital and Civil Society - WP/00/74