9 - Readings

Putnam – Making Democracy Work (Ch. 4 & 6)

1. What is Putnam trying to explain?

• Putnam’s central question is what conditions create strong, responsive, and effective democratic institutions.

• He evaluates this by studying regional governments in Italy after 1970, comparing how well they perform across regions.

• Institutional performance is measured through effectiveness (getting things done) and responsiveness (serving citizens’ needs).

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2. Key Finding: Civic Community Matters More Than Wealth

• Although wealth and modernization help, they do not fully explain institutional success.

• The strongest predictor of good governance is “civicness” (civic community).

• Regions with stronger civic life consistently had better-performing governments.

Example from the text:

• Northern Italy = more civic → stronger institutions

• Southern Italy = less civic → weaker institutions

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3. What is “Civicness” (Civic Community)?

A civic community is characterized by:

a) Civic engagement

• Citizens actively participate in public life and care about collective outcomes.

b) Political equality

• People interact as equals rather than through hierarchical patron-client relationships.

c) Trust, solidarity, and tolerance

• Citizens trust one another and cooperate even when they disagree.

d) Strong associations

• High levels of participation in clubs, organizations, and community groups build cooperation skills.

4. How does Putnam measure civicness?

Putnam uses multiple indicators (not just one) to capture civic life:

• Density of civic associations (clubs, groups)

• Newspaper readership (engagement with public affairs)

• Referendum turnout (issue-based participation)

• Low preference voting (less clientelism)

👉 He uses multiple measures because:

• Civicness is complex and multidimensional

• One measure alone would be incomplete or misleading

5. Social Capital (Chapter 6)

• Social capital refers to networks, norms, and trust that facilitate cooperation.

• It helps people coordinate actions and overcome collective problems.

Key components:

• Trust → people expect others to cooperate

• Norms of reciprocity → “I help you now, you help me later”

• Networks of civic engagement → repeated interaction builds cooperation

6. Collective Action Problem

• Individuals often fail to cooperate even when it benefits everyone.

• Examples include:

  • Prisoner’s dilemma

  • Tragedy of the commons

  • Public goods problem

Social capital solves this by:

• Increasing trust

• Reducing fear of betrayal

• Encouraging repeated cooperation

7. Rotating Credit Associations (Key Example)

• These are informal savings groups where members contribute and take turns receiving payouts.

• They work without formal enforcement, relying entirely on:

  • Trust

  • Reputation

  • Social networks

This shows that social capital can replace formal institutions.

8. Social Capital as a Public Good

• Social capital benefits everyone, not just individuals.

• However, it is often underproduced because individuals do not fully account for its collective benefits.

9. Equilibria: “Brave Reciprocity” vs “Never Cooperate”

• Societies can fall into different stable patterns:

  • Brave reciprocity → trust and cooperation reinforce each other

  • Never cooperate → distrust leads to constant defection

These are self-reinforcing equilibria, meaning they are hard to change once established.

Hall & Lamont – “The Wear and Tear of Our Daily Lives”

1. What is “wear and tear”?

• “Wear and tear” refers to the cumulative stress and challenges of everyday life, especially for disadvantaged groups.

• These stresses have real health consequences, contributing to chronic illness.

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2. Why are poorer people more affected?

• Lower-income individuals:

  • Face more stressors

  • Have fewer social and institutional “buffers”

• As a result, they experience worse health outcomes.

3. What makes a “successful society”?

Successful societies are those that:

• Promote health and well-being

• Provide social inclusion and recognition

• Build support systems (“buffers”) against stress

• Foster community and shared values

4. The Role of Institutions and Culture

• Institutions and cultural norms shape how people experience life.

• Societies that:

  • Encourage inclusion

  • Reduce inequality

  • Strengthen community
    → are more successful overall.

5. Key Insight

• Success is not just about economic policy or healthcare systems.

• It depends on how people treat each other in everyday life.

Big Picture Connections

What makes a successful society?

• Strong social capital (Putnam)

• Strong social support systems (Hall & Lamont)

• High trust, cooperation, and inclusion

Both readings argue:

• Society works best when people are connected, supported, and trusting

Social Media

Potential benefits:

• Can build new networks and communities

• Can increase civic engagement

Potential harms:

• May reduce face-to-face trust

• Can increase polarization and isolation

Key tension:

• Does it build social capital or fragment it?