Utah Foundation President Peter Reichard writes, “There’s no use in pretending anymore. Our national fabric has been tearing for decades. Political polarization is widening. The economic divide keeps growing. Solidarity is slipping away. Social capital is in decline.”
Social capital refers to the bonds between people and among networks, which they can use to benefit themselves and the group as a whole. Low levels of social capital often lead to poor economic and social outcomes, both for individuals and for populations.
The Utah Foundation launched its Social Capital Series in 2021. This project consists of a series of reports including more than 30 metrics compared over time and against Utah’s neighboring Mountain States and the nation.
