Torsello, Davide - Pappová, Melinda: Social Networks in Movement. Time, interaction and interethnic spaces in Central Eastern Europe - Nostra Tempora 8. (Somorja-Dunaszerdahely, 2003)
Aknowledgement
18 Claire Wallace In our view the two kinds of social capital might co-exist, but do not necessarily complement one another. Thus, informal social capital exists in the form of informal networks of friends and relatives, whilst formal social capital can simultaneously exist in terms of the participation in civil associations and public action. The role which the two may play depends upon the nature of the political and economic system generally. Where civil society is underdeveloped, where there are no football clubs, bowling clubs and choral association to which to belong, then informal social capital may take on an enhanced role. However, reliance on informal social capital, not subject to universalistic public rules and regulations but rather to particularistic and ascriptive loyalties, could in fact undermine trust in formal public institutions and corrode their functions through corruption and “tunnelling" out of their resources for private ends. Informal social capital is also associated with mafia-type organisations. The development of civil society through public participation in a variety of institutions (including football clubs and choral associations) could help to control and limit the scope of ascriptive and private loyalties. The role of social capital in transitional societies The instance of the transition from central planning to a market economy is a particularly important one in which to examine the operation of these different kinds of social capital. This transition is fundamentally a process of accelerated institutional change. Both formal and informal institutions need to adapt to the requirements of market transactions. For democracy to work (in Putnam’s memorable phrase) people must participate in institutions which regulate society - from Trades Unions and professional associations to political parties. For the market economy to work, there needs to be information and trust in market transactions - trust that if someone buys goods from you they will also eventually pay you. Where this cannot be guaranteed by formal institutions of law (because they are not yet developed or are imperfect-
