Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

civic participation and soft social capital: evidence from Greece

European Political Science volume 17, pages 404–421 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

The study analyses the stock and the change of social capital in Greece at the onset of the economic crisis and tests for the effect of soft social capital elements on civic participation scores. Public servants are analysed separately as a potentially distinct group of citizens in terms of their civic engagement profile. At the empirical level, we identify social capital via the measurement of six main constructs, namely, social trust, social altruism, equality, tolerance, humanitarianism (soft social capital elements) and civic participation (a hard social capital element). Data are drawn from the European Social Value surveys Rounds 4 and 5. Results show that the country experienced a statistically significant decline in its social capital level during the 2008–2010 period, although public servants show higher (albeit also declining) levels of social capital. More importantly, soft social capital constructs do affect civic participation scores for the society as a whole but not for public servants.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Bitros, G.C. (2013) ‘From riches to rags or what went wrong in Greece, Journal of Economic and Social Measurement 38(1): 5–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bitros, G.C. and Karayiannis, A.D. (2013) Creative Crisis in Democracy and Economy, Berlin: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Brehm, J. and Rahn, W. (1997) ‘Individual-level evidence for the causes and consequences of social capital’, American Journal of Political Science 41(3): 999–1023.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brewer, G.A. (2003) ‘Building social capital: Civic attitudes and behaviour of public servants’, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 13(1): 5–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chow, G.C. (1960) ‘Tests of equality between sets of coefficients in two linear regressions’, Econometrica 28(3): 591–605.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christoforou, A. (2005) ‘On the determinants of social capital in Greece compared to countries of the European Union’, Nota di Lavoro, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, No. 68.2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Danopoulos, C.P. (2015) ‘Accountability and the quality of democracy in Greece’, Mediterranean Quarterly 26(4): 110–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dasgupta, P. (2005) ‘Economics of social capital’, Economic Record 81(s1): S2–S21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daskalopoulou, I. (2016a) ‘Social capital at the outburst of the economic crisis in Greece, 2008–2010’, International Journal of Business and Economic Sciences Applied Research (IJBESAR) 9(2): 79–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daskalopoulou, I. (2016b) ‘Rent seeking or corruption? An analysis of income satisfaction and perceptions of institutions in Greece’, Social Science Journal 53: 477–485.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daskalopoulou, I. (2016c) ‘Democracy and social capital in Greece’, Business and Entrepreneurship Journal 6(1): 15–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Demertzis, N. (2006) ‘Trust as a social emotion’, Science and Society. Journal of Political and Moral Theory 16: 39–67 [in Greek].

    Google Scholar 

  • Economakis, G., Rizopoulos, Y. and Sergakis, D. (2010) ‘Patterns of corruption’, EAST–WEST Journal of Economics and Business 13(2): 11–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, L.M. (2009) ‘Ideational social capital and the civic culture: Extricating Putnam’s legacy from the social capital debates’, Social Epistemology 23(2): 125–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ekman, J. and Amnå, E. (2012) ‘Political participation and civic engagement: Towards a new typology’, Human Affairs 22: 283–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freire, A., Lisi, M., Andreadis, I. and Leite Viegas, J.M. (2014) ‘Political representation in bailed-out Southern Europe: Greece and Portugal compared’, South European Society and Politics 19(4): 413–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fukuyama, F. (1999) ‘Social capital and civil society’, paper presented at the IMF Conference on Second Generation Reforms, November 8–9, Washington, DC: IMF.

  • Huliaras, A. (2014) ‘The dynamics of civil society in Greece: Creating civic engagement from the top’, Jean Monnet Papers on Political Economy, no. 10/2014, University of Peloponnese, Greece.

  • Ioakimidis, P.C. (2000) ‘The Europeanization of Greece: an overall assessment’, South European Society and Politics 5(2), 73–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, N., Malesios, C., Iosifides, T. and Sophoulis, C.M. (2008) ‘Social capital in Greece: measurement and comparative perspectives’, South European Society and Politics 13(2): 175–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karyotis, G., Rüdig, W. and Judge, D. (2014) ‘Representation and austerity politics: attitudes of Greek voters and elites compared’, South European Society and Politics 19(4): 435–456.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kazakos, P. (2006) ‘Social capital and collective action: Implications for economic structures, performance and reform. Case study Greece’, Science and Society. Journal of Political and Moral Theory 16: 107–138. [in Greek].

    Google Scholar 

  • Koniordos, S.M. (2006) ‘Social capital: between theoretical clarity and confusion’, Science and Society. Journal of Political and Moral Theory 16: 1–38. [in Greek].

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyberaki, A. and Paraskevopoulos, C.J. (2001) ‘Social capital measurement in Greece’, paper presented at OECD-ONS International Conference on Social Capital Measurement, London, UK, September 25–27. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.201.8686&rep=rep1&type=pdf. Accessed 1 February 2017.

  • Moutos, T. and Pechlivanos, L. (2015) ‘Rent-seeking in a time of austerity: Greece’, CESifo DICE Report 13(3): 38–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norris, P. (2001) ‘Making democracies work: social capital and civic engagement in 47 societies’, No. rwp01-036. https://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/pnorris/Acrobat/MPSA%20Making%20Democracies%20Work.pdf. Accessed 1 February 2017.

  • Pagoulatos, G. and Kastritis, P. (2013) ‘Theorizing and assessing civil society: a review of approaches’, Jean Monnet Papers on Political Economy, no. 03/2013, University of Peloponnese, Greece.

  • Pantazidou, M. (2013) ‘Treading new ground: A changing moment for citizen action in Greece’, Development in Practice 23(5–6): 755–770.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paraskevopoulos, C. (2007) ‘Social capital and public policy in Greece’, The Hellenic Observatory, GreeSE Paper No 9. http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/5610/1/GreeSE%2520No9.pdf.

  • Paraskevopoulos, C.J. (2001) Interpreting Convergence in the European Union: Patterns of collective action, social learning and europeanization, London: Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Petrou, A. and Daskalopoulou, I. (2014) ‘Is Greece a rent seeking society? A research on the relationship between entrepreneurship, trust and institutions’, Social Indicators Research 119(3): 1495–1515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pichler, F. and Wallace, C. (2007) ‘Patterns of formal and informal social capital in Europe’, European Sociological Review 23(4): 423–435.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, R.D. (1993) ‘The prosperous community: Social capital and public life’, The American Prospect 4(13): 35–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, R.D. (1995) ‘Bowling alone: America’s declining social capital’, Journal of Democracy 6(1): 65–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rontos, K. and Vavouras, I. (2015) ‘The pillars of corruption control worldwide: differences between rich and poor countries’, EAST–WEST Journal of Economics and Business 18(2): 105–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rontos, K. and Roumeliotou, M. (2013) ‘Generalized social trust in Greece and its association with demographic and socio-economic predictors’, Portuguese Journal of Social Science 12(1): 63–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rontos, K., Sioussiouras, P. and Vavouras, I. (2012) ‘An incentive model of corruption in the Mediterranean and Balkan region’, International Journal of Latest Trends in Finance and Economic Sciences 2(2): 99–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rontos, K., Syrmali, M.E. and Vavouras, I. (2015) ‘The determinants of governance: a global analysis’, International Journal of Latest Trends in Finance and Economic Sciences 5(2): 868–877.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sotiropoulos, D.A. (1993) ‘A colossus with feet of clay: the state in post-authoritarian Greece’, in H. Psomiades and S. Thomadakis (eds) Greece, the New Europe, and the Changing International Order, New York: Pella, pp. 349–365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sotiropoulos, D.A. (2004) ‘Two faces of politicization of the civil service: the case of contemporary Greece’, in B.G. Peters and J. Pierre (eds) The Politicization of the Civil Service in Comparative Perspective: A quest for control, London: Routledge, pp. 257–282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sotiropoulos, D.A. (2006) ‘Old problems and new challenges: the enduring and changing functions of Southern European state bureaucracies’, in R. Gunther, P. N. Diamandouros and D.A. Sotiropoulos (eds) Democracy and the State In the New Southern Europe, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 197–234.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Sotiropoulos, D.A. (2010)‘The Authoritarian Past and Contemporary Greek Democracy’. South European Society and Politics 15(3): 449–465.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sotiropoulos, D.A. (2015) ‘Southern European governments and public bureaucracies in the context of economic crisis’, European Journal of Social Security 17(2): 226–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sotiropoulos, D.A. and Bourikos, D. (2014) ‘Economic crisis, social solidarity and the voluntary sector in Greece’, Journal of Power, Politics & Governance 2(2): 33–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanou, C. (2014) ‘Administrative elites and the crisis: what lies ahead for the senior civil service in Greece?’, International Review of Administrative Sciences 80(4): 709–725.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanou, C. and Sotiropoulos, D.A. (2011) ‘The odyssey of administrative reforms in Greece, 1981–2009: a tale of two reform paths’, Public Administration 89(3): 723–737.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Talò, C. and Mannarini, T. (2015) ‘Measuring participation: development and validation the Participatory Behaviors Scale’, Social Indicators Research 123(3): 799–816.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, J. (2010) ‘Public service motivation, civic attitudes and actions of public, nonprofit and private sector employees’, Public Administration 88(4): 1083–1098.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teixeira, C.P., Tsatsanis, E. and Belchior, A.M. (2014) ‘Support for democracy in times of crisis: Diffuse and specific regime support in Portugal and Greece’, South European Society & Politics 19(4): 501–518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teperoglou, E., Freire, A., Andreadis, I. and Leite Viegas, J.M. (2014) ‘“Elites” and voters’ attitudes towards austerity policies and their consequences in Greece and Portugal’, South European Society and Politics 19(4): 457–476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Ingen, E. and Van der Meer, T. (2011) ‘Welfare state expenditure and inequalities in voluntary association participation’, Journal of European Social Policy 21(4): 302–322.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Voulgarelli-Christidou, C. (2016) ‘Dangers of an urban crisis within the European Union: fuelling xenophobia and undermining democracy’, Perspectives On Global Development and Technology 15(1–2): 236–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wooldridge, J. M. (2009) Introduction to Econometrics: A modern approach, Fourth edh, Mason, OH: South-Western.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zmerli, S. (2003) ‘Applying the concepts of bonding and bridging social capital to empirical research’, European Political Science 2(3): 68–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The article has benefited from the insightful and constructive comments of a Journal’s Editor and of two anonymous Journal Reviewers. The usual disclaimer applies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics, University of Peloponnese, Thesi Sechi (Proin 4o Pedio Volis), Tripoli, 22100, Greece

    Irene Daskalopoulou

Authors
  1. Irene Daskalopoulou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Irene Daskalopoulou.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Daskalopoulou, I. civic participation and soft social capital: evidence from Greece. Eur Polit Sci 17, 404–421 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41304-017-0114-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41304-017-0114-y

Keywords

search

Navigation