How Social Capital is Viewed by Different Communities

Introduction

The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast two different papers that highlight how social capital is viewed by different communities in any given society. The first article titled “Social Capital and Civil Society” was published in October 1999 by Francis Fukuyama from the institute of Public Policy, George Mason University. Fukuyama (1999) explores to examine in a wider context what social capital is? It’s key function in the free market, how social capital is measured and finally makes suggestions on how social capital can be cultivated for the good in any given society.

In the second article titled “What is Social Capital and why is it important to Public Policy?” was published in 1998 by Robert E. Lang and Steven P. Hornburg from the Fannie Mae Foundation. The authors highlight that social capital has a clear link to government housing and urban policy formation and argue that the lack of social capital has a clear affect to community stability and housing provision. By using Robert Putman’s concepts and comparing six different articles on social capital the author’s further see the increase to social capital to an area has a high effect to the community and improves the lives of many people that are living in deprived areas of the society.

Brief Outline Articles

Article One

“Social Capital and Civil Society” published in October 1999 By Francis Fukuyama from the institute of Public Policy, George Mason University.

Fukuyama (1999) defines social capital as the cooperation of a group of people that are mainly formed by two or more people. He goes further to claim that the formation of the group can be between two very good friends or be more complicated like in the formation of religious group b...

... middle of paper ...

...l suggested by “globalisation” where the involvement of the community is made not just for capital gain but by ideas of culture.

In conclusion this two articles even though different and written for two different audiences, prove without a doubt the theoretical concept behind social capital whether the focus is in housing, public policy or civil society, an enhanced social capital within a community can generate good to any given society.

Bibliography

Fukuyama F., (1999). Social Capital and Civil Society. The Institute of Public Policy. Web. March 1, 2016

https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/seminar/1999/reforms/fukuyama.htm

Lang R.E, and Hornburg S.P (1998) What is Social Capital and why is it important to Public Policy?. Housing Policy Debate. Vol.9, No.1, pp1-16. Web. March 6, 2016

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10511482.1998.9521284