A101 Team The Senator’s Social Capital Project aims to pinpoint how Americans’ social relationships are evolving, and how government must respond in order to reverse negative trends nationwide.
“America is divided.”
We hear that sentiment a lot these days, and the evidence is all around us. Decreased labor force participation, increased drug overdoses, income inequality, and widespread political polarization are some of the results of this division, but what is the root cause?
Senator Mike Lee is answering this question with his Social Capital Project, by researching how social relationships, or “associational life” as Senator Lee describes them, have changed in America in recent decades, and how it will evolve in the future. This project families, communities, workplaces, and religious congregations as the core of how Americans interact and relate with each other socially.
Social relationships are essential to a fulfilled life. They help us develop emotional strength, build character, find purpose, and learn the skills we need to compete.
But in America, these relationships have frayed, leading to division. The social institutions that once stood between the individual and the state have lost influence.
Family life has suffered because Americans are getting married later and less frequently. They are also getting divorced more, placing a strain on our children.
Americans socialize with their neighbors less frequently, and are less trusting of major institutions, and each other.
Religious participation is also on the decline, weakening a spiritual center that was once central to American life.
In place of these once-powerful pillars of society, some people are looking to government as the magic bullet to solve all of our problems. But this is dangerous.
American strength has always come from our local communities and civic organizations, not government. Little League, the Rotary Club, block parties, parents involving themselves at their kids’ school – these are the things that make America great. When families are strong, local communities become strong and produce children who are ready to give back to those communities as productive, fulfilled adults.
Central government has its role to play in ensuring prosperity for the people, but this role is limited. Non-state institutions – our associational life – must once again regain strength if America is to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Senator Lee’s research on these topics is foundational to the challenges we face, and you can read more about his findings here.
