Effective norms depend on structural properties beyond any single actor’s control.
Evidence
For norms also, the statement must be qualified. Norms are intentionally established, indeed as means of reducing externalities, and their benefits are ordinarily captured by those who are responsible for establishing them. But the capability of establishing and maintaining effective norms depends on properties of the social structure (such as closure) over which one actor does not have control yet are affected by one actor’s action. — Coleman, SocialCapitalCreation-1988, 221
Categorization
- DEFINE: Introduces ‘closure’ as a structural property governing norm maintenance — a key concept in social capital theory.
- XREF: connects to: Institutional norms target behaviors no other mechanism can govern; Systemic complexity disperses responsibility so no individual is originator of an action; Legal validity derives from normative authority, not from physical power alone. — Ronald M. Dworkin, The Model of Rules, 48 (+3 more)
Related
- Closure in social relations is necessary for effective norms to emerge (similarity 0.81)
Broader Connections
- Systemic complexity disperses responsibility so no individual is originator of an action
#qualifies(0.78) - Power cannot self-realize but depends on societal-structural conditions for legitimacy
#corroborates(0.78) - Social outcomes depend on joint causation, making individualist rule-following wrong for policy
#corroborates(0.78) - Institutional norms target behaviors no other mechanism can govern
#complicates(0.75) - Legal validity derives from normative authority, not from physical power alone.
#corroborates(0.72) — Ronald M. Dworkin, The Model of Rules, 48 - Broad norm systems contain conflicting norms that weaken universalistic ones.
#qualifies(0.70) — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 273