Social capital facilitates actions that would otherwise be impossible.

Evidence

Social capital is defined by its function. It is not a single entity but a variety of different entities, with two elements in common: they all consist of some aspect of social structures, and they facilitate certain actions of actors-whether persons or corporate actors-within the structure. Like other forms of capital, social capital is productive, making possible the achievement of certain ends that in its absence would not be possible. — Coleman, SocialCapitalCreation-1988, 39

Categorization

• DEFINE: This is the canonical definition of social capital by function.
• XREF: connects to: Social capital valuable for one activity can harm others. — Coleman, SocialCapitalCreation-1988, 40; Social capital constrains behavior even as it enables it, reducing innovativeness. — Coleman, SocialCapitalCreation-1988, 111; Social capital is activity-specific and even harmful in some contexts. (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Social capital valuable for one activity can harm others. #qualifies (0.85) — Coleman, SocialCapitalCreation-1988, 40
• Social capital constrains behavior even as it enables it, reducing innovativeness. #qualifies (0.85) — Coleman, SocialCapitalCreation-1988, 111
• Social capital is activity-specific and even harmful in some contexts. #qualifies (0.85)
• Social capital exists as obligations, information flows, and sanctioned norms #expands (0.80) — Coleman, SocialCapitalCreation-1988, 236
• Social possibility rests on well-founded expectations about others’ conduct #expands (0.72)