Abstract
In the recent debate about the concept of social capital, the civic and democratic role attributed to voluntary associations has received critical attention (Tarrow 1996; Portes 1998; Van Deth et al. 1999; Warren 1999). In line with Tocqueville’s famous statement that “only by the reciprocal action of men upon another can feelings and ideas be renewed, the heart enlarged, and human mind developed … This, only associations can do” (Tocqueville 1986, 158), many authors perceive voluntary associations as an ideal school of democracy. Because of the horizontal and egalitarian type of face-to-face interpersonal relations they promote, they are supposed to bring together people from different backgrounds, generate communication and debate and foster self-confidence and confidence in others. Associations are also supposed to make their members aware of the power of collective action and therefore promote political involvement and mobilization. Yet this vision might be overoptimistic and simplified. The purpose of our chapter is to examine the role of voluntary organizations as important links between citizens and the political system. We conclude that their importance as creators of attitudinal aspects of social capital may have been exaggerated.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Agulhon, M. (1970). La République au Village. Paris: Plon.
Agulhon, M. (1977). Le Cercle dans la France Bourgeoise. Etude d’une Mutation de Sociabilité. Paris: Armand Colin.
Agulhon, M. and M. Bodiguel (1981). Les Associations au Village. Arles: Actes Sud.
Almond, G. and S. Verba (1963). The Civic Culture. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Andrieu, C., G. Le Béguec and D. Tartakowski (eds., 2001). Associations et Champ Politique, La Loi de 1901 à l’Epreuve du Siècle. Paris: Publications de la Sorbonne.
Archambault, E. (1999). “France. From Jacobin tradition to Decentralization.” pp. 81–97. In L. Salamon et al. (eds.), Global Civil Society. Dimensions of the Nonprofit Sector. Baltimore: John Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies.
Barber, B. (1984). Strong Democracy. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Barthélémy, M. (2000). Associations: Un Nouvel Age de la Participation. Paris: Presses de Sciences Po.
Bourdieu, P. (1979). La Distinction. Critique Sociale du Jugement. Paris: Editions de Minuit.
Bourdieu, P. (1980). “Le Capital Social. Notes provisoires.” Actes de la Recherche en Sciences Sociales 31, 2–3.
Bréchon, P. (2000). “L’Univers des Valeurs Politiques: Permanences et Mutations.” pp. 104–128. In P. Bréchon (ed.), Les Valeurs des Français. Evolution de 1980 à2000. Paris: Armand Colin.
Broqua, C., S. Duchesne, C. Hamidi, O. Fillieule and N. Mayer (2000). Dynamique de l’Engagement et Elargissement des Solidarités. Paris: MIRE/ Fondation de France.
Citrin, J.(1974). “Comment: The Political Relevance of Trust in Government.” American Political Science Review 58(3), 973–988.
CNVA (Conseil National de la Vie Associative) (2000d). Bilan de la Vie Associative en 1996–1999. Paris: la Documentation française.
Coleman, J. S. (1963). “Comment on ‘On the concept of influence.’ ” Public Opinion Quarterly 63–82.
Coleman, J. S. (1990). Foundations of Social Theory. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Degenne, O. and M. Forsé (1998). “Vers une Sociabilité Négociée.” pp. 90–116. In O. Galland and Y. Lemehl (eds.), La Nouvelle Société Française. Trente Années de Mutations. Paris: Armand Colin.
Eliasoph, N. (1998). Avoiding Politics. How Americans Produce Apathy in Everyday Life. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Fillieule, O. and C. Broqua (2001). “Désengagement et Conséquences Biographiques de l’Engagement.” pp. 157–162. In CRESAL, Actes du colloque Actions Associatives, Solidarités et Territoires. Saint Etienne: Publications de l’Université de Saint-Etienne.
Galland, O. (1999). “Les Relations de Confiance.” Revue Tocqueville 20(1), 45–57.
Galland, O. (2000). “Les Français Entre Eux: Des Relations Electives et Sélectives.” pp. 28–47. In P. Bréchon (ed.), Les Valeurs des Français.\ Evolution de 1980 à2000. Paris: Armand Colin.
Grunberg, G., N. Mayer and P. Sniderman (eds., 2002). La Démocratie à l’Epreuve, une Nouvelle Approche de l’Opinion des Français. Paris: Presses de Sciences Po.
Hall, P. (1999). “Social Capital in Britain.” British Journal of Political Science 29(3), 417–462.
Hamidi, C. (2002). Les Effets Politiques de l’Engagement Associatif. Le Cas des Associations Issues d’Immigration. Paris: Ph.D. Dissertation.
Hardin, R. (1999). “Do We Want Trust in Government?” pp. 22–41. In M. Warren (ed.), Democracy and Trust. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hatchuel, G. and J. P. Loisel (1999). “La vie associative: participer mais pas militer.” Données Sociales 359–365.
Huard, R. (2000). “Political Association in Nineteenth Century France: Legislation and Practice.” pp. 135–153. In N. Bermeo and Ph. Nord (eds.), Civil Society before Democracy. Lessons from Nineteenth-Century Europe. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield.
Inglehart, R. (1999). “Trust, Well-being and Democracy.” pp. 88–120. In M. Warren (ed.), Democracy and Trust. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
INJEP (Institut National de la Jeunesse et de l’Education Populaire) (2001). L’Image de la Vie Associative en France. Paris: Institut national de la jeunesse et de l’education populaire.
Mayer, N. (2002). “Les Dimensions de la Confiance.” pp. 87–108. In G. Grunberg, N. Mayer and P. Sniderman (eds.), La Démocratie à l’Epreuve, une Nouvelle Approche de l’Opinion des Français. Paris: Presses de Sciences Po.
Mendras, H. (2001). “Le Lien Social en Amérique et en Europe.” Revue de l’OFCE 76, January, 179–187.
Merlet, J. F. (2001). Une Grande Loi de la IIIème République, la Loi du1er Juillet 1901. Paris: LGDJ.
Newton, K. (2001). “Trust, Social Capital, Civil Society and Democracy.” International Political Science Review 22(2), 201–214.
Newton, K. and P. Norris (2000). “Confidence in Public In9stitutions: Faith, Culture or Performance?” pp. 52–73. In S. Pharr and R. Putnam (eds.), Disaffected Democracies: What’s Troubling the Trilateral Countries? Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Offe, C. (1999). “How Can We Trust Our Fellow Citizens?” pp. 42–87. In M. Warren (ed.), Democracy and Trust. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Pharr, S. and R. Putnam (eds., 2000). Disaffected Democracies: What’s Troubling the Trilateral Countries? Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Portes, A. (1998). “Social Capital: Its Origin and Applications in Modern Sociology.” Annual Review of Sociology 22, 1–24.
Putnam, R. (1993). Making Democracy Work. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Putnam, R. (1995). “Tuning In, Tuning Out: The Strange Disappearance of Social Capital in America.” Political Science and Politics 28(4), 664–683.
Putnam, R. (2000). Bowling Alone. The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Salamon, L. et al. (1999). Global Civil Society. Baltimore: John Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies.
Schweisguth, E. (2002). “La Dépolitisation en Questions.” pp. 51–86. In G. Grunberg, N. Mayer and P. Sniderman (eds.), La Démocratie à l’Epreuve, une Nouvelle Approche de l’Opinion des Français. Paris: Presses de Sciences Po.
SOFRES (1998). L’Etat de l’Opinion 1998. Paris: Seuil.
SOFRES (2000). L’Etat de l’Opinion 2000. Paris: Seuil.
Stolle, D. (2001). “Clubs and Congregations: The Benefits of Joining an Association.” pp. 202–244. In K. Cook (ed.), Trust in Society. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Tarrow, S. (1996). “Making Social Science Work Across Space and Time: A Critical Reflection on Robert Putnam’s Making Democracy Work.” American Political Science Review 90, 389–397.
Tchernogog, V. (1999). “Trajectoires Associatives. Premiers Eléments sur la Mortalité des Associaitions.” Revue des Etudes Coopératives, Mutualistes et Associatives 272.
Tchernogog, V. (2001). “Quelles Ressources et Quels Emplois dans les Associations? Réflexions à Partir d’une Enquête de Cadrage.” pp. 21–35. In CRESAL, Actes du colloque Actions Associatives, Solidarités et Territoires. Saint Etienne: Publications de l’Université de Saint Etienne.
Tocqueville, A. de (1986 [1840]). De la Démocratie en Amérique, Tome 2. Paris: Gallimard.
Uslaner, E. (1999). “Democracy and Social Capital.” pp. 121–150. In M. Warren (ed.), Democracy and Trust. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Van Deth, J., M. Maraffi and K. Newton (eds., 1999). Social Capital and European Democracy. London: Routledge.
Van Deth, J. (2000a). “Interesting but Irrelevant: Social Capital and the Saliency of Parties in Western Europe.” European Journal of Political Research 37, 115–147.
Van Deth, J. (2000b). “Political Interest and Apathy: The Decline of a Gender Gap?” Acta Politica 35(3), 247–274.
Van Deth, J. (ed., 1997). Private Groups and Public Life. Social Participation, Voluntary Associations and Political Involvement in Representative Democracy. London: Routledge.
Warren, M. (ed., 1999). Democracy and Trust. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Editor information
Copyright information
© 2003 Marc Hooghe and Dietlind Stolle
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mayer, N. (2003). Democracy in France: Do Associations Matter?. In: Hooghe, M., Stolle, D. (eds) Generating Social Capital. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781403979544_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781403979544_3
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-4039-6220-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4039-7954-4
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political & Intern. Studies CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)