AN EVALUATION OF ROBERT PUTNAM’S SOCIAL CAPITAL THEORY

Abstract

There are many societies blessed with rich resources and influential people where some members of that community still lack the basic economic resources to grow and build themselves. This is because some have in excess and some little and some do not have at all. To correct situations like this, Robert Putnam’s Social Capital Theory suggests the building of trust and relationship between and among individuals in a society. The Social Capital Theory of Putnam encourages societal connectedness and the provision of resources for her citizens as means of improving economic development and growth. Aside being explored theoretically and empirically some of the assumptions of social capital theory have been challenged; its limitations as a unified concept have not been adequately tackled thus creating uneasy flow in relationship and trust. This paper therefore tries to evaluate Putnam’s notion of social capital, stating that trustworthiness and connection are key to developmental growth but these qualities are not just shown to all by all. Using the evaluative method, this paper concludes that togetherness in economic building can develop the society faster and stronger rather than individually targeted which can as well provide a central means of resolving distrust and commitments among members.