Capital social e desenvolvimento em São Leopoldo.

Abstract

This assignment studies the characteristics of social capital and its possible relation with the development of São Leopoldo town at the beginning of the XXI Century and it has as its main reference the theory of Robert Putnam. The remembrance of the historical trajectory of the town, from 1824 on, includes historical, cultural, political, economical and social elements and considers the aspects related to social capital, highlighting social organization, community work, associativity, information and communication, press creation and participation in public matters. The data collected show that cultural and social elements, related to social capital since the first decades of the German colonization, may have helped the economical development reached by that town, according to the theory of Putnam. The finding of the number of social organizations currently existent in the town shows the permanence of an important historical feature of its: the associative capacity of the citizens, described by some authors as a common element to the German colonized regions in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. We could verify that in 2006 1.456 social organizations of different kinds were active in São Leopoldo. The current characteristics of social capital were researched through an opinion survey that was applied in different neighborhoods of the town, and it intended to investigate aspects like the participation of citizens in networks and groups, confidence and solidarity, collective action and cooperation, cohesion, social inclusion and gain of power. The data presented indicate that the social capital social prevailing in São Leopoldo is from the bonding type, and also, but less present, from the bridging type.