The Political Appropriation of Social Capital

Abstract

Social capital, both as an abstract and a quantifiable concept, has seized the imagination and interest of social scientists, economists and politicians. Social capital can be regarded as an entity which facilitates the accessibility of the resources in a community. Some current ideas and research in this area are examined to see how these notions can be exploited for political or social advantage. The 1998 conference of the National Carers' Association of Australia provided an opportunity to observe these processes in action. Putnam's theory of social capital and its relation to democracy, some criticisms of his theory and the application of the concept in the context of informal caring are discussed.