“If we think of politics as an industry, we might delight in its new "labour-saving efficiency", but if we think of politics as democratic deliberation, to leave people out is to miss the whole point of the exercise.” — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
“We all know that the way to get something done is to give it to a busy person.” — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
Our national myths often exaggerate the role of the individual heroes and understate the importance of collective effort. — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
What really matters from the point of view of social capital and civic engagement is not merely nominal membership, but active and involved membership. — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
Young Americans are dropping out of religion at an alarming rate of five to six times the historic rate. — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
How well you do in life shouldn't depend on how well your parents did. — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
“Financial capital - the wherewithal for mass marketing - has steadily replaced social capital - that is, grassroots citizen networks - as the coin… — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
Busy people tend to forgo the one activity - TV watching _ that is most lethal to community involvement — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
Unequal Democracy is the sort of book to which every political scientist should aspire--it is methodologically rigorous, conceptually serious, and above all, it addresses… — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
Community connectedness is not just about warm fuzzy tales of civic triumph. In measurable and well-documented ways, social capital makes an enormous difference in… — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
None of the people watching 'Big Brother' will bring you chicken soup if you get sick. — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
A society that relies on generalized reciprocity is more efficient than a distrustful society, for the same reason that money is more efficient than… — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
“{The Progressives] outlook was activist and optimistic, not fatalist and despondent. The distinctive characteristic of the Progressives was their conviction that social evils would… — Robert D. Putnam Copy Share Image
![“{The Progressives] outlook was activist and optimistic, not fatalist and despondent. The distinctive characteristic of the Progressives was their conviction that social evils would not remedy themselves and that it was foolhardy to wait passively for time's cure. As Herbert Croly put it, they did…” quote by Robert D. Putnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b3e/robert-d-putnam-29120_time_the-progressives-outlook-was-activist-an_1763476.jpg)