American community group membership rose steadily for decades before the 1960s

Evidence

In the 1960s, in fact, community groups across America had seemed to stand on the threshold of a new era of expanded involvement. Except for the civic drought induced by the Great Depression, their activity had shot up year after year, cultivated by assiduous civic gardeners and watered by increasing affluence and education. Each annual report registered rising membership. — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 24

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The association boom of 1960s-1990s was organizational growth without mass membership — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 151; Environmental groups grew to millions of members during the 1970s — Richard J. Lazarus, The Making of Environmental Law, 385; Membership stagnates even though more Americans are positioned to join groups. — Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone: America’s Declining…, 50 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• The association boom of 1960s-1990s was organizational growth without mass membership #complicates (0.85) — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 151
• Membership stagnates even though more Americans are positioned to join groups. #contradicts (0.80) — Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone, 50
• Civic community thinning in America predated the commercial internet #qualifies (0.75)
• Environmental groups grew to millions of members during the 1970s #qualifies (0.72) — Richard J. Lazarus, The Making of Environmental Law, 385
• Far-right growth masks decades-long membership decline since mid-century peaks #qualifies (0.72) — Anton Jäger, Hyperpolitics, 158