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Social capital and human development: an empirical investigation across European countries

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  • CHRISTOFOROU, ASIMINA

Abstract

In this paper, we offer an empirical investigation of the relationship between social capital and human development across European countries for the post-war period. We argue that social organizations contribute directly to broader welfare aspects of development as part of the third sector of the economy, which undertakes the provision of public goods, such as health and education, in synergy with state institutions. This is counter to views that associate social organizations with anti-growth rent-seeking and lobbying activities. We begin with a multivariate regression analysis, which reveals that membership in social organizations is positively associated with human development, along with state institutions of public expenditure and the quality of governance. We then conduct a case study analysis to explore further the historical and cultural contextual factors of European welfare systems that determine the capacity of third sector organizations to enhance generalized co-operation, synergistic relations and social welfare against particularist interests.

Suggested Citation

  • Christoforou, Asimina, 2010. "Social capital and human development: an empirical investigation across European countries," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(2), pages 191-214, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:jinsec:v:6:y:2010:i:02:p:191-214_99
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    Cited by:

    1. Fabio Sabatini & Francesco Sarracino, 2014. "E-participation: Social Capital and the Internet," Working Papers 2014.81, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    2. Elsner, Wolfram & Schwardt, Henning, 2012. "Trust and Arena Size. Expectations, Trust, and Institutions Co-Evolving, and Their Critical Population and Group Sizes," MPRA Paper 40393, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Alberto Batinti & Andrea Filippetti & Luca Andriani, 2017. "Why Does Social Capital Increase Government Performance? The Role of Local Elections across Italian Municipalities," Management Working Papers 13, Birkbeck Department of Management, revised Apr 2017.
    4. Giacomo Degli Antoni & Fabio Sabatini, 2013. "Disentangling the relationship between nonprofit and social capital: the role of social cooperatives and social welfare associations in the development of networks of strong and weak ties," Econometica Working Papers wp48, Econometica.
    5. Alberto Batinti & Luca Andriani & Andrea Filippetti, 2019. "Local Government Fiscal Policy, Social Capital and Electoral Payoff: Evidence across Italian Municipalities," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(4), pages 503-526, November.
    6. Luca Andriani & Fabio Sabatini, 2013. "Trust and Prosocial Behaviour in a Process of State Capacity Building: the Case of the Palestinian Territories," Management Working Papers 6, Birkbeck Department of Management, revised Oct 2013.
    7. Fabio Sabatini & Francesco Sarracino, 2019. "Online Social Networks and Trust," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(1), pages 229-260, February.
    8. Fabio Sabatini & Francesco Sarracino, 2013. "Will Facebook save or destroy social capital? An empirical investigation into the effect of online interactions on trust and networks," Department of Economics University of Siena 692, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    9. M. Hussain, 2016. "EU Country Rankings’ Sensitivity to the Choice of Welfare Indicators," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 125(1), pages 1-17, January.
    10. Andriani, Luca & Sabatini, Fabio, 2015. "Trust and prosocial behaviour in a process of state capacity building: the case of the Palestinian territories1," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(4), pages 823-846, December.

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