Social capital of the rural population: assessment of condition

The article is devoted to the study of the structural characteristics of social capital of the rural population. Rural areas, still being a source of material and human resources, are greatly affected by the economic crisis. Examples from modern life demonstrate that traditional values and the villagers’ way of life is being destroyed. This leads to the weakening of social capital of rural residents, reduces the opportunities for realizing their human potential, does not contribute to the population’s self-organization. The research object is the population of the region living in rural areas, the subject - their accumulated social capital. The methodological framework of the study of the condition of social capital of rural areas is the concept, whose foundations were laid by Bourdieu, Coleman, and Fukuyama. The empirical framework of the study is the results of the study conducted by the researchers at the Vologda Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Vologda Oblast, devoted to regional social capital. Trust and involvement in network interaction are used as indicators for analyzing the cognitive and structural component of social capital. Civil activity and locus of responsibility serve as indicators of external externalities. Analysis of the base component of social capital (trust) helps group the respondents according to the revealed level. The majority of the rural population has a narrow trust range, limited access to resources, and minimal social capital. Respondents with a wide range of trust demonstrate higher social activity, and involvement in activities of various organizations. They have more stable status positions. This group can become the support for the implementation of initiatives put forward by the population and local authorities.