Social capital and the quality of government: Evidence from the states

This study analyzes the impact of various forms of "social capital" on governmental performance in the American states. Aspects of social capital that are conceptually identified with generalized reciprocity (such as social trust, volunteering, and census response) are associated with better governmental performance, as measured by ratings constructed by the Government Performance Project. In contrast, aspects of social capital identified with social connectedness (including activity in associations and informal socializing) are unrelated to governmental performance. These findings call into question the use of heterogeneous indexes of social capital that mix social connectedness indicators together with indicators of generalized trust and reciprocity.