Satisfaction with democracy and social capital in Greece

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how different types of social capital contribute to the satisfaction with democracy (SWD) in Greece. Understanding the relationship between different variants of social capital and SWD allows one to situate the Greek democracy in the continuum of democracy types, from primary to modern.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses microdata extracted from the European Values Surveys of 2002-2010 and multivariate regression analysis.FindingsThe results are compatible with a conception of the Greek political organization as a civil virtue democracy. A change in the nature of the relationship is observed after the recent economic crisis in the country.Research limitations/implicationsThe study contributes to the empirical knowledge regarding the relationship between different variants of social capital and SWD.Originality/valueUsing a typology approach, the micro-relationship between democracy and social capital is analyzed as embedded in a continuum of different democracy types. In addition, this is the first study that uses microdata to analyze the effect of social capital upon SWD in Greece. The results of the study provide valuable understanding of the social and institutional arrangements that might sustain Greece’s efforts to meet its overall developmental challenges.