Democracies in flux: the evolution of social capital in contemporary society

Introduction Robert D. Putnam and Kristin A. Goss -- Great Britain: the role of government and the distribution of social capital Peter A. Hall -- United States: bridging the privileged and the marginalized? Robert Wuthnow -- United States: from membership to advocacy Theda Skocpol -- France: old and new civic and social ties in France Jean-Pierre Worms -- Decline of social capital?: the German case Claus Offe and Susanne Fuchs -- From civil war to civil society: social capital in Spain from the 1930s to the 1990s Victor Pérez-Díaz -- Sweden: social capital in the social democratic state Bo Rothstein -- Australia: making the lucky country Eva Cox -- Broadening the basis of social capital in Japan Takashi Inoguchi -- Conclusion Robert D. Putnam

In his national bestseller Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam illuminated the decline of social capital in the US. Now, in Democracies in Flux, Putnam brings together a group of leading scholars who broaden his findings as they examine the state of social capital in eight advanced democracies aroundthe world.The book is packed with many intriguing revelations. The contributors note, for instance, that waning participation in unions, churches, and political parties seems to be virtually universal, a troubling discovery as these forms of social capital are especially important for empowering lesseducated, less affluent portions of the population. Indeed, in general, the researchers found more social grouping among the affluent than among the working classes and they find evidence of a younger generation that is singularly uninterested in politics, distrustful both of politicians and ofothers, cynical about public affairs, and less inclined to participate in enduring social organizations. On the bright side, social capital appears as strong as ever in Sweden, where 40% of the adult population participate in study circles--small groups who meet weekly for educationaldiscussions.Offering a panoramic look at social capital around the world, this book makes an important contribution to our understanding of these phenomena.