scholarly journals Myten om at ein stor stat fører til eit svakt samfunn

2018 ◽  
pp. 39-58
Author(s):  
Atle Møen
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Welfare State ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Voluntary Organizations ◽  
Labour Unions ◽  
Strong State ◽  
Sport And Recreation ◽  
Bridge Building

Title: The Myth that a Strong State Leads to a Weak Society. Summary: This article discusses the myth that a strong state makes for a weak society. This is a myth evident both in the view that a comprehensive welfare state entails a weak civil society and the hypothesis that big government “crowds out” social capital. The article examines both of these views against the backdrop of the historical relationship between state and civil society in Norway. First, rather than undermining civil society, the article demonstrates how a strong welfare state has in fact co-existed with and encouraged over time the vitality of civil society, based on social movements with broad recruitment bases. In the Nordic countries, a specific kind of “state individualism” has also emerged. Second, the article argues that this strong civil society – today visible, for example, in the vitality of labour unions and growing participation in voluntary organizations in the fields of culture, sport and recreation – generates bridge-building social capital, thus weakening the “crowding-out” hypothesis. The final section of the article examines the myth that older people cared for by family members receive better care than those in the public healthcare system, in light of evidence that indicates care from family members can lead to asymmetrical relations or perceived indignity which in turn can jeopardize the quality of the interaction between the older person and the caregiver.

Social Capital and the Demand for Regulation in Russia

2014 ◽  
pp. 77-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Menyashev
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Government Regulation ◽  
Russian Regions ◽  
Strong State ◽  
Popular View

There is a popular view in Russian studies arguing that underdevelopment of Russian civil society is partly responsible for the failure of liberal idea in Russia. Fragmented society sees no alternative to massive government regulation, that is why support of strong state is so high. If this logic is true, the differences in civicness across urban societies should show up in liberal parties support. This paper estimates this effect using social capital framework and drawing upon the data from Russian regions.

Social Capital and Democracy in Africa

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Asante
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Voluntary Organizations ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Institutional Performance ◽  
Political Ideas ◽  
Norms And Values ◽  
Individual Participation

Social capital is a slippery concept that signifies different things for different authors, and its uses are not always consistent. Despite this lack of consensus, most scholars agree on its basic idea: “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Participation or membership in social networks and voluntary organizations creates norms and values such as trust, cooperation, and reciprocity that lead to productive state, institutional performance, and democratic communities. Social interactions and connections expand access to information and political ideas, nurture active citizens, stimulate individual participation in politics, collective decision-making, and policy formulation, which increase governmental accountability. In recent years, civil society actors in Africa have been emboldened to build social capital in response to restrictions and attacks on civil and political liberties, creeping authoritarianism, constitutional manipulations, and lack of governmental accountability. However, there are formidable challenges to generating social capital due to the character of civil society, its structural weaknesses and internal contradictions, socio-cultural factors, and limitations from the state.

Individual Attitudes toward the Welfare State: A Test of the “Crowding Out Hypothesis” across European Countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Durmus A. Yuksek ◽  
Ozgur Solakoglu
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Welfare State ◽  
Welfare States ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Crowding Out ◽  
Welfare Policies ◽  
Crowd Out ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Welfare State

Abstract Although numerous studies have confirmed the relationship between welfare states and social capital, their arguments have been contradictory. Some argue that strong welfare states crowd out social capital, while others consider the welfare state as a stimulator of social capital. However, research focusing on both the arguments simultaneously and considering whether or not welfare states can both make and break social capital is almost unavailable. Also, individual attitudes toward the welfare state have mainly been the neglected part of this research tradition. Concordantly, findings of this study suggest that regardless of the strength of the civil society, a welfare state can both crowd out and crowd in social capital. While the comprehensiveness of the welfare state plays a part in stimulating or rather unlikely destroying social capital, it is actually the particular design, implementation of the welfare policies, and legitimacy of the state officials that make or break social capital.

Trust: A National Project

2015 ◽  
pp. 138-146
Author(s):  
N. Rozinskaya ◽  
I. Rozinskiy
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
External Pressure ◽  
National Project ◽  
Low Level ◽  
General Trust

This article deals with the genesis of general trust and social capital in contemporary Russia, which faces the external pressure. The low level of general trust is noted, its economic, social and everyday life implications are considered, an explanation of Russia’s lower than in western Europe level of trust is provided. Considering society’s level of trust and social capital as externalia, the authors conclude that there is a necessity to "produce" trust intentionally. Promotion of collective charity is proposed as a mechanism of such "production". It is stressed that in order to activate the potential of trust in a society, there is a need for ideological and symbolic basis linked to its history. Russian People’s Unity Day, understood as the birthday of Russian civil society, is proposed to be used in this respect.

Social Capital and Sustainable Health Care: An Analysis of Community Based Palliative Care Model of Kerala

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Azeez. E.P
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Voluntary Organizations ◽  
Community Based ◽  
The Social ◽  
Palliative Care Units

Social Capital is the most crucial asset which significantly influence the efficacy and resilience of any community. Social capital is a dependent variable that depends upon the competence and coherence of the individuals in the community and mode of social relationships, trust and networks they maintain. It is one of the most sustainable social resources that originate from human relations and results on the mutual support of people. Utilization of Social capital has a wide applicability in the process of social inclusion, especially in dealing with the vulnerable and disadvantaged sections in the community itself. Voluntary organizations are very keen to utilize the social capital for community/social services and community development in a sustainable manner. Community based de-institutionalized Palliative Care is one of the foremost among such organizations that made social capital in a strategic way for social inclusion and community well being. This paper analyses the extent to which different elements of social capital helps in initiating the sustainable community based palliative care movement by assessing the unique intervention strategies carried out by the palliative care. This paper explores conceptual questions of how social capital and voluntary community based services are correlated. A case study method was adopted for the study in which ten palliative care units were analyzed. The results show that a number of social capital elements are playing a vital role in the sustainability of community palliative care movement in Kerala.

Industrialization, Information Technology and Changes in Social Capital

2011 ◽  
Vol 58-60 ◽  
pp. 359-363
Author(s):  
Ai Lin Zheng ◽  
Zhen Sheng Tao
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Market Economy ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Process Of Change ◽  
General Trust ◽  
The Family

Industrialization, information technology is a process of change of social capital. China's traditional social capital are mainly within the family, we must carry forward the expansion of traditional ethics and trust radius, The formation of the general trust in market economy, civil society organizations to promote the formation of modern social capital. Our government has an important role in formation of social capital.

Ethnic Conflict and Civil Society: India and Beyond

2001 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 362-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashutosh Varshney
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Ethnic Conflict ◽  
Ethnic Violence ◽  
The People

Scholars have worked either on civil society or on ethnic conflict, but no systematic attempt has yet been made to connect the two. In an attempt to explore the possible links, this article makes two interconnected arguments. First, interethnic and intraethnic networks of civic engagement play very different roles in ethnic conflict. Because they build bridges and manage tensions, interethnic networks are agents of peace. But if communities are organized only along intraethnic lines and the interconnections with other communities are very weak (or do not exist), ethnic violence is then quite likely. Second, civic networks, both intra- and interethnic, can also be broken down into two other types: associational forms of engagement and everyday forms of engagement. This distinction is based on whether civic interaction is formal or not. Both forms of engagement, if robust, promote peace: contrariwise, their absence or weakness opens up space for ethnic violence. Of the two, however, the associational forms turn out to be sturdier than everyday engagement, especially when confronted with attempts by politicians to polarize the people along ethnic lines. Both arguments have significance for theories of ethnic conflict and social capital.

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