Tracking Social Capital Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Research Question

What effect, if any, did the COVID-19 pandemic have on social capital compared to the last 75 years?

Abstract

Bringing together multiple quantitative studies from the last 75 years in a meta-analytical study to diagnose the health of American Community. Using Putnam’s now-standard theory of Social Capital, along with individualized statistical analyses of how much time Americans spend together, on dates, in clubs, or otherwise being social to see whether or not COVID-19 is to blame for our “loneliness epidemic”. 

Background

• “[Social Capital] is the value of social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them” - Robert Putnam
• Similar to financial and real capital, social capital is a measure of success or power that can be given and taken as an exchange. Putnam pioneered this idea as a way to measure the growing feeling in the mid-1900s that the American “community” was fading, and the death of the post World War II generation defined by strong communal and civic engagement.
• Social clubs like the Elks, Moose, and Lions all saw an increase of 100% or more in the post-war era but would see a near complete fall off post 1960s.

Timeline Pre-2000

1950-1975

• The era closest studied by Putnam, over 50% of people believed that people, in general, live good honest lives
• Total crime rate per 100,000 rose from less than 2,000 in 1960 to more than 5,000
• Over 30% of nonagricultural laborers were in a union in 1950

1975-2000

• By the beginning of this era, the answer to the same question barely surpassed 30%
• From 1980-2000, the totale crime rate fell from 6,000 per 100,000 to 5,000 per 100,000
• Less than 15% of nonagricultural laborers were unionized by 2000