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The start of a conversation on the value of New Zealand’s social capital Margreet Frieling

By: Frieling, Margreet.
Material type: materialTypeLabelBookSeries: Living Standards Series: Discussion Paper.Publisher: Wellington, New Zealand : New Zealand Treasury, 2018Description: electronic document (39 pages) ; PDF file.ISBN: 978-1-98-853491-6.Subject(s): New Zealand. Treasury | CHILD POVERTY | ECONOMIC ANALYSIS | GOVERNMENT POLICY | Living Standards Framework | SOCIAL CAPITAL | SOCIAL POLICY | WELLBEING | NEW ZEALANDOnline resources: Click here to access online | Living Standards Framework Living Standards Series: Discussion Paper:18/04, February 2018Summary: This paper describes a conceptual framework for the key components of social capital, as a first step towards its measurement as part of the Treasury’s Living Standards Framework (LSF). It proposes a definition of social capital as the social connections, attitudes and norms that contribute to societal wellbeing by promoting coordination and collaboration between people and groups in society. Social capital is a well-evidenced predictor of economic performance, democratic functioning, public safety, educational outcomes, labour market outcomes and individual health and wellbeing. Unless government systematically accounts for social capital, social capital risks and opportunities are easily taken for granted or overlooked in policy development. Governments have a profound impact on social capital. Government policies influence the growth and decline of social capital through their effects on institutional quality, income inequality, poverty, housing mobility and ownership rates, family and whānau wellbeing, the construction of the built environment and educational outcomes. A shared understanding of what social capital means, why it is important and what the key risks and opportunities are is a fundamental first step towards a coordinated across government approach for better social capital outcomes. To that end, this paper aims to identify: 1) the core elements of social capital; 2) the policy questions for each of these elements; and 3) the main individual and societal determinants of social capital. Based on this analysis, this paper proposes a set of key indicators for the measurement of social capital in the LSF. (From the executive summary). One of four discussion papers related to the Treasury approach to the Living Standards Framework - follow the link for more information. Record #5775
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Living Standards Series: Discussion Paper:18/04, February 2018

This paper describes a conceptual framework for the key components of social capital, as a first step towards its measurement as part of the Treasury’s Living Standards Framework (LSF). It proposes a definition of social capital as the social connections, attitudes and norms that contribute to societal wellbeing by promoting coordination and collaboration between people and groups in society. Social capital is a well-evidenced predictor of economic performance, democratic functioning, public safety, educational outcomes, labour market outcomes and individual health and wellbeing. Unless government systematically accounts for social capital, social capital risks
and opportunities are easily taken for granted or overlooked in policy development. Governments have a profound impact on social capital. Government policies influence the growth and decline of social capital through their effects on institutional quality, income inequality, poverty, housing mobility and ownership rates, family and whānau wellbeing, the construction of the built environment and educational outcomes. A shared understanding of what social capital means, why it is important and what the key risks and opportunities are is a fundamental first step towards a coordinated across government approach for better social capital outcomes. To that end, this paper aims to
identify: 1) the core elements of social capital; 2) the policy questions for each of these elements; and 3) the main individual and societal determinants of social capital. Based on this analysis, this paper proposes a set of key indicators for the measurement of social capital in the LSF. (From the executive summary).


One of four discussion papers related to the Treasury approach to the Living Standards Framework - follow the link for more information. Record #5775