Social Capital, Creative Destruction and Economic Growth

Abstract

A distinction between individual and communal aspects of social capital is introduced, and their roles in production explored. Contacts are required to transact. contact formation and replacement are mediated by either market institutions or, less efficiently, by informal networks. Replacement of contacts is part of Schumpeterian creative destruction, leading to technological progress but with a negative externality. For output to increase, a "fundamental transformation" from informal to formal contact creation institutions is required. This may be blocked if political elite interests are threatened by the externality. Growth experiences in transition and developing countries are interpreted in this frameword.