The Essence Of Strong Communities
It’s not geography. It’s not history. It’s not great leadership, fine programs, or economic advantage. Though it is all connected, the single most important thing is social capital: The quality of the relations and the cohesion that exists among citizens.
By The Empty Square
Photo: Juan Di Nella/Unsplash
It’s not geography. It’s not history. It’s not great leadership, fine programs, or economic advantage. Though it is all connected, the single most important thing is social capital: The quality of the relations and the cohesion that exists among citizens.
“Social capital is about acting on and valuing our interdependence and sense of belonging. It is measured by how much we trust each other and how much we cooperate to make a place better. It is the extent to which we extend hospitality and affection to one another.”*
In order to improve the common measures of community health (economy, education, health, safety, the environment), we need to create communities where all citizens have the experience of being connected to those around them. Where everybody knows that their own safety and success are dependent on the success of all others.
Strong communities are built on strong social infrastructure, which constitutes all the formal and informal public and semi-public meeting places: Wide sidewalks, shops, parks, playgrounds, libraries, eateries, beaches, markets etc. Not just ‘public space’ but places that invite people in. These, therefore, might be the most important thing to consider when planning for a new neighborhood or reinventing an old one.
How can we prioritize the planning of meeting places (type, location, people in charge) much more than we do?
Did you know that places with a strong social infrastructure turn out to be 5-10 times more resilient than others?**
* Peter Block: Community – the Structure of Belonging (Berett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2018, first ed.2008)
**Eric Klinenberg: Palaces for the People – How to Build a More Equal and United Society, Penguin Random House, UK, 2018) in which he investigates the essential role of social infrastructure.
See also Robert D. Putnam: Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (Simon & Schuster, 2000).