Social capital and the roles it played in development work
Social capital and the roles it played in development work
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Social capital and the roles it played in development work
In the recent past, the notion of social capital has turn into one among the most known exports from sociological theory in day to day language. Rose, 1995 says that Social capital has developed into something of a solution for the problems affecting communities. She former says that the theory is supported by a number of local magazines and newspapers. Regardless of its current publicity, according to her, social capital does not symbolize any notion considered fresh to sociologists (Rose, 1995: pp 101). According to Putnam’s, 1993 definition and perception, social capital brings back present insight as it is the very discipline foundation (Putnam, 1993: pp 46). On the other hand, Portes, 1998 defines the concept of social capital as the total of the potential or real resources that are connected to ownership of a resilient network of less or more institutionalized recognition or mutual acquaintance associations (Portes, 1998: pp 87). However, this definition has been argued by a number of sociologists. It can be defined as the cultural and internal community coherence, the values and norms that govern interactions among the people and the conditions, institutions in which they are in (Portes, 1998: pp 102). Through social capital, the connections in the community will be held and this enhances wellbeing of human beings and economic growth in the society. Rose 1995 confirms that community will never rise but collapse minus effective social capital (Rose, 1995: pp 121). There are numerous roles that are played by social capital according to Putnam 1993. He states that there are mainly four sources of social capital with various dynamics. The roles of social capital are emphasized by the application of its notion in sociological literature. It plays roles in; family support, social control, as well as in benefits arbitrated by extra-familial networks as he illustrates (Putnam, 1993: pp 122). The paper provides examples of every good function. However, there also exists negative functions and the paper as well illustrates them with relevant examples. Rose, 1995 argues that the heuristic and novelty social capital power originates from mainly two sources. First, attention on the sociability positive consequences and puts less emphasis on the negative sides are focused by the concept of social capital. Second, the good sociability consequences are placed in the structure of a wider debate of capital. It as well calls notice to the way such nonmonetary forms may act as significant power sources. This can be compared to the importance and value of one’s bank account or stock holdings (Rose, 1995: pp 131).
Portes, 1998 treats the concept of social capital instrumentally. Pierre treats the notion of social capital instrumentally. He emphases on the advantages that accrues to people by virtue of partaking in groups as well as on the purposeful sociability construction for the reason of making this resource. He confirms that the earnings which accumulate from a group membership are the solidarity foundation that makes them achievable. The advantage idea is that, in a free community, every person will come to the level acceptable by her/his capability conflicts. This is with the observation that there is no person who moves along that road alone. Minus social capital, the above cannot be achieved (Portes, 1998: pp 74).
Harris 2001 and Grootaert 1998 give emphasis to the insubstantial social capital character as compared to other forms. While economic capital is in the bank accounts of people but the human capital is in their heads, on the other hand, social capital inheres in the arrangement of their relationships as they state (Harris, 2001: pp 100). The function of social capital in this idea is for the relationships development. To own social capital, Grootaert1998 says that an individual must have relationships with others who act as contributors to his/her success. As stated earlier, the motivation of other people in order to make resources obtainable on concessionary conditions isn’t consistent. Broadly, a person can separate amid instrumental motivations versus co-summitry to do so. An example of the first, persons can pay their debts early, provides alms to gifts, and respect rules of traffic as they feel an obligation to perform in this way (Grootaert 1998: pp 111).
The methods that make such characters possible are then appropriable by other people and they perform as resources as stated by Rose 1995. At this juncture (she continues) the person who holds social capital are other members of the society who will provide loan minus the being fearful that they will not be repaid, get benefits from other organizations, or release their children to play in the roads minus concern (Rose, 1995: pp 109). Grootaert 1998 then analyses this idea and links it with social capital as he regards it as an effectual norm that reduces the chances of one committing crime as it makes it possible to have free movements along every road and streets. It also enables every citizen to walk without fear or oppression. Social capital becomes essential to communities as it as well assists in discipline maintenance among the children. This gives the police officers easy time as they maintain discipline and uphold compliance among the people they guard (Grootaert 1998: pp 98-121).
Through the view of social capital and its necessities and in close conduction with nature of human beings, social capital can be viewed as basically the obligations accruement from others as per the reciprocity norm. Portes 1998 states. In this account, donors give easy access to the resources in the expectations and surety of recovering their money fully and hence the role and function of social capital. Through social capital, members of the congregation will anonymously bestow church hospitals and schools; members of the community and nations that are suppressed to willingly be members of severe military activities in its guard (Portes, 1998: pp 165). The fundamental notion is that through volunteering to participate in such organization and functions, the participants as well as the attended are empowered. Putnam’s, 1993 says that a vibrant community in which the presence of strong community responsibilities and civic, will always be stronger and remain united. The ideas are mostly regarded as successful and are associated with pride as they imply the respect for the notions and the requirements as well as the aspirations of the members of that given community. Social capital can hence be regarded as the connections and more durable associations among the members of the community and this gives then easy access to the resources and finance (Putnam’s, 1993: pp 143).
The view of social capital and chiefly from the power relations in the community, it cannot be correct to say that the less worthy men in the society will always have bigger stocks or denied access to capital as stated by Putnam 1993. Social capital, he says, in the real sense in not worthy and this makes easy relations and connections among the various groups and individuals of the community. The work of social capital in this case is to enhance the relationships and create friendship in the whole community and abroad. No one will be considered more able than the other and hence the uniformity will be enhanced through the social capital (Putnam, 1993: pp 76-82).
Throughout the study (Rose 1995, and Portes 1998 books), there is enough evidence to support the contributions of social capital to the community and individuals as well. It importantly makes contribution to the development and sustenance of united community (Portes, 1998: pp 45-46). The sustenance ensures that the coming generations are maintained in unity and the relationships strengthened. The opportunities require capital and this role of capital provision is provided by social capital. The former content of natural capital, produced or physical capital, as well as human capital are to be made broader so that they can entail social capital (Rose, 1995: pp 23-25).
Harris 2001 says that Social capitals encourage associational participation activities. This is done devoid of biasness and other related factors. The participants do so regardless of the capital status, age and status in the community. All the people are considered equal and with similar potential and so uniformity and biasness eliminated or reduced. The responsibility of every society member as well as the government is enhanced as social capital acts as encouraging factor. The other role here that social capital plays is that it promotion of development plans and making them more sustainable (Harris, 2001: pp 61).
The sharing of the information and ideas according to Putnam are enhanced through social capital. All the people are allowed to contribute and so there are minimal chances that wrong decisions are made. The situations of incorrect data and figure always results to failure in the market. He says; Social capital will always ensure that such failures do not exist as it contributes to the failures alleviation. In doing so it does not eradicate doubt, but it creates mutual understanding about the way agents will make responses to different conditions (Putnam, 1993: pp 91).
Another function of social capital is for the “growing up with one parent” that was illustrated by Grootaert. It examines the results of having one parent for the achievement of school as well as attrition, pregnancies, and other consequences that are associated with adolescent. Social capital is always lower for children who have only one parent and since they like changing there living places frequently, and this results to fewer ties to other grown-ups in the society. The shortage is not the only factor that causes but automatically plays role in less personality and educational outcomes among the children who have single parent (Grootaert, 1998: pp 73). Various scholars have examined and concluded that it’s the single parents are always overburdened as they are entirely responsible for the cognitive and social development of their children. Rose says that Social capital helps them to reduce the work-load they experience. Another good example is seen with the kid-support analysis and the women who get their children out-of-wedlock as he illustrates (Rose, 1995: pp 46). He says, as financial capital, the transfer to children from parents and consequences of characters like early pregnancies, attainment of education, as well as participation in labor force are influenced by social capital. Social capital just as in one-parent family is also greater in families with the two parents, the people with few children, as well as the people who have high aspirations for their children. The above mentioned status requires greater attention and dedications from the parents, more time to be spent with the kids and achievement orientation emergence among young lads (Rose, 1995: pp 49).
Additionally, according to Portes, the other vital and common function that is played by social capital is that it acts as a source of network-mediated benefits. It also employs the use of block-modeling technology for the mapping social connections among intellectual and artists in the society (Portes, 1998: pp 34). The analysis that was conducted by scholars (from Putnam, R. 1993) shows that there is a strong network among members. The most common use of the social capital according to Putnam is in stratification field. It is commonly invoked here as the clarification given to the access to employment, easy movement through occupational ladders, as well as the entrepreneurial achievement (Putnam, 1993: pp 78).
Among the most noteworthy notions and uses of social capital as noted by Rose is in the study of ethnic entrepreneurship and immigrants in which social capital and networks that flow through the two are ever noted as the main resources for small businesses creation (Rose, 1995: pp 201). Grootaert for example has given emphases the significance of credit associations’ rotation. RCAs (rotating credit associations) are groups of people who meet frequently, and all members are required to make contribution to the common pool that is gotten by every member in turn. The social capital in this instance emerges from the trust that every person who participates in the common pool will go on making his/her contributions to others even after he/she has received her portion. The cycle of getting and receiving never ceases unless the members of the common pool make arrangement to terminate the arrangement. Minus the trust that all the members have on each other, no member will make his/her contributions and each will not have access to finance. The accountability, transparency will be demonstrated (Grootaert, 1998: pp 61-64).
However, as stated earlier there are negative consequences that are associated and directly linked with social capital though the positive sides are emphasized. In fact the sociologists only give the better their picture but ignore the other sides of the coin. Putnam says that negative sides are always considered and connected to homo economic-us behavior. Their emphasis are important as through this, the community might ass well know and be aware of the consequences and bad outcomes of social capital (Putnam, 1993: pp 54).
References:
Grootaert, C. (1998). HYPERLINK “http://wattlecourses.anu.edu.au/file.php/6278/2010_Files/Week_4/grootaertmissinglink.pdf” Social Capital: The Missing Link? Social Capital Working Paper No. 3,
The World Bank.
Harris, J. (2001). HYPERLINK “http://wattlecourses.anu.edu.au/file.php/6278/2010_Files/Week_4/harriss-socialcapital.pdf” Public Action and the Dialectics of Decentralisation: Against the Myth of Social Capital as `The Missing Link in Development’. Social Scientist 29 (11-12):25-40.
Portes, A. (1998). HYPERLINK “http://wattlecourses.anu.edu.au/file.php/6278/2010_Files/Week_4/Portes_A_-_Social_Capital.pdf” Social Capital. Annual Review of Sociology 24:1-24.
Putnam, R. (1993). Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy. Princeton:
Princeton University Press.
Rose, R. (1995). “Adaptation, Resilience, and Destitution: Alternative Responses to Transition in
Ukraine.” Problems of Post-Communism (November/December): 52-261.
