Social Capital in Europe from 1990 to 2012: Trends and Convergence

Francesco Sarracino and Malgorzata Mikucka

Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, 2017, vol. 131, issue 1, No 21, 407-432

Abstract: Abstract As social capital affects many social and economic outcomes, it is important to monitor its changes over time. This study uses WVS-EVS integrated data (1990–2012) to describe the trends of 8 proxies of social capital in 30 Western and Eastern European countries. We found positive trends of trust in others, confidence in public services, and in armed forces; negative trends of participation in groups and associations, and of confidence in political institutions; mixed trends of civic cooperation, and of confidence in religious and empowering institutions. We also found evidence that over time the differences in social capital among European countries predominantly increased ( $$\sigma$$ σ -convergence). These differences are not explained by differences in the initial stocks of social capital ( $$\beta$$ β -convergence).

Keywords: Social capital; Beta-convergence; Sigma-convergence; Trends; Europe; EVS–WVS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A12 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (21)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11205-016-1255-z

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