This paper presents two cases demonstrating the utilization of social capital by indigenous rural organizations in strategies for grassroots development in Bolivia and Mexico.
In the context of rural community, social capital reflecting goodwill, loyalty, etc., can contribute to overall success. The values, caring and concern among people and institutions denote social capital. It has various motivations that touch on several virtues extant in humans. The growth or progress of most communities, in this case rural is largely dependent on resources of social capital within communities.
A concentric framework of social units among Nahuas of Mexico makes for poor ties to the rest of society, state in general. Social organization among the Nahuas is seen strongest at the center of the concentric framework that exists. Ties weaken as one moves from basic domestic units, to groups, villages and so on. This is not very conducive to systems like trade, religion and politics which might reflect low social capital.
Descriptions given in "summary findings" on page two examine the link between strong civic involvement and democratic stability, and the role that social capital plays in collective action is explored. A typology of civic society and state relations is developed. This typology makes apparent the ways in which civil society is impacted by political regimes as well as highlighting was in which civil society can be engrossed and supported under different situations. Civic organization builds on itself in that communities that organize cooperatively to achieve certain goals find it easier to organize for other purposes as well.
This paper examines the emergent properties of civil societies in less developed countries by comparing and contrasting the character of rural civil society in northern Tanzania in the 1950s and 1990s.
The author explores the complex relationship between Andean agriculturalists and herders. The author finds that complementarily and duality structures barter, marriage patterns , and ritual life in Tapay of the Colca Valley in Southern Peru. There is a division of the population based on ecological dimensions. There is a growing complimentarily in economic exchange and in the ritual an symbolic world.
The impacts that corporate cotton production may have on men and women's ability to control household resources is examined. Traditionally, land in the region of Mozambique studied here has been inherited via matrilinear descent. As a result women have traditionally had a great deal of control over the production of both cash and subsistence crops. Women wield a great deal of power over income due to their contribution to cotton production. The introduction of corporate cotton production has provided men with access to their own land for cotton production. It is feared that this increased production of cash crops by men may take some power away from women in terms of their influence over decisions regarding family income.
