Monitoring Social Capital in Hungary: A Short Review of Recent Research

This report provides recent Hungarian data and some analysis on key indicators usually associated with social capital, including, among others, generalized trust, social contacts, associational membership. One of the themes of the report is the degree to which some of the standard measurements of social capital can misrepresent the nature of trust and social networks in a country. As they don’t tend to rate organized politics or take an active part in civic life, the easy conclusion seems be that Hungary is another low trust post socialist new member state. At the same time, a series of other studies demonstrates that various public institutions and services enjoy above average support and that Hungarians consider social networks important. They show above average contact with friends and family, with the majority declaring their belief that co-operation is an innate part of human nature.