Article: Social Capital Worldwide: Potential for Democratization or Stabilizer of Authoritarian Rule?
Going to make two posts today introducing resources on how civic associations may promote anti-democracy. My earlier post on the subject can be found here: http://anti-democracy-agenda.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-civic-associations-promote-anti.html
First I came across a recent article by Sigrid Rossteutscher (Goethe University Frankfurt), "Social Capital Worldwide: Potential for Democratization or Stabilizer of Authoritarian Rule?" ("American Behavioral Scientist", 53 [5], January 2010: pp. 737-57).
Quote: "The notion of social capital has gained enthusiastic support from nongovernmental organizations, intergovernmental confederations, and supranational bodies such as the European Union, the World Bank, and the United Nations. They all believe that social capital might be a potent aid for democratization, for repairing defective democracies, and for undermining authoritarian regimes. ... This article examines whether social capital has such positive effects in countries where democracy is not yet established. ... The results are clear: Social capital functions as a stabilizer of authoritarian rule. Its effects are mainly negative. ... Social participation and trust, specifically, increase the stability of nondemocratic leadership by generating popular support, by suppressing regime-threatening forms of protest activity, and by nourishing undemocratic ideals of governance."
The article was published in a special issue of the journal on the "dark side" of social capital.
Going to make two posts today introducing resources on how civic associations may promote anti-democracy. My earlier post on the subject can be found here: http://anti-democracy-agenda.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-civic-associations-promote-anti.html
First I came across a recent article by Sigrid Rossteutscher (Goethe University Frankfurt), "Social Capital Worldwide: Potential for Democratization or Stabilizer of Authoritarian Rule?" ("American Behavioral Scientist", 53 [5], January 2010: pp. 737-57).
Quote: "The notion of social capital has gained enthusiastic support from nongovernmental organizations, intergovernmental confederations, and supranational bodies such as the European Union, the World Bank, and the United Nations. They all believe that social capital might be a potent aid for democratization, for repairing defective democracies, and for undermining authoritarian regimes. ... This article examines whether social capital has such positive effects in countries where democracy is not yet established. ... The results are clear: Social capital functions as a stabilizer of authoritarian rule. Its effects are mainly negative. ... Social participation and trust, specifically, increase the stability of nondemocratic leadership by generating popular support, by suppressing regime-threatening forms of protest activity, and by nourishing undemocratic ideals of governance."
The article was published in a special issue of the journal on the "dark side" of social capital.
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