{
  "title": "Social Capital and Civil Society",
  "publication": "IMF Working Papers, March 1, 2000",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/social-capital-and-civil-society-3547",
  "canonical": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/social-capital-and-civil-society-3547",
  "overlayPath": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/social-capital-and-civil-society-3547/index.md",
  "summary": "Social capital is an instantiated informal norm that promotes cooperation between individuals. In the economic sphere it reduces transaction costs, and in the political sphere it promotes the kind of associational life that is necessary for the success of limited government and modern democracy.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Summary",
      "content": "- Social capital is an instantiated informal norm that promotes cooperation between individuals.\n- In the economic sphere it reduces transaction costs.\n- In the political sphere it promotes the kind of associational life that is necessary for the success of limited government and modern democracy.\n- 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.\n- Awareness of social capital is often critical for understanding development, yet it is difficult to generate through public policy."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Major findings and analysis",
      "content": "- Social capital lowers transaction costs in economic interactions.\n- Social capital supports associational life necessary for limited government and modern democracy.\n- Multiple origins: iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma games; religion; tradition; shared historical experience; other cultural norms.\n- Implication: While essential for development, social capital’s informal and culturally rooted nature makes it resistant to direct public-policy creation."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Subjects and keywords (as listed)",
      "content": "- Subjects: Civil society, Economic sectors, Education, Financial institutions, Human capital, Labor, Social networks, Stocks, Technology\n- 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\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- Social Capital and Civil Society - WP/00/74\n  - Social Capital and Civil Society - WP/00/74 (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n  - Social Capital and Civil Society - WP/00/74 (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n\n---\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/social-capital-and-civil-society-3547"
    }
  ],
  "bullets": [
    "[Markdown version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/social-capital-and-civil-society-3547/index.md)",
    "[Structured JSON version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/social-capital-and-civil-society-3547/index.json)",
    "[Bundle manifest](/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/social-capital-and-civil-society-3547/bundle-manifest.json)",
    "Authors: Francis Fukuyama",
    "Published: March 1, 2000",
    "Series: IMF Working Papers",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451849585.001",
    "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.",
    "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: 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",
    "**Social Capital and Civil Society - WP/00/74**"
  ],
  "related": [
    {
      "title": "Social Capital and Civil Society - WP/00/74",
      "role": "document",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/wp/2000/_wp0074.pdf",
      "summary": {
        "path": "/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/wp/2000/_wp0074.pdf.md",
        "mime": "text/markdown"
      },
      "binary": {
        "path": "/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/wp/2000/_wp0074.pdf",
        "mime": "application/pdf"
      }
    }
  ],
  "alternates": {
    "markdown": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/social-capital-and-civil-society-3547/index.md",
    "json": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/social-capital-and-civil-society-3547/index.json",
    "bundleManifest": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/30/social-capital-and-civil-society-3547/bundle-manifest.json"
  },
  "generatedAtUtc": "2026-09-17T07:30:23.044Z"
}
