Robert D. Putnam

Why do some democratic governments succeed and others fail? In a book that has received attention from policymakers and civic activists in America and around the world, acclaimed political scientist and bestselling author Robert Putnam and his collaborators offer empirical evidence for the importance of “civic community” in developing successful institutions. Their focus is on a unique experiment begun in 1970, when Italy created new governments for each of its regions. After spending two decades analyzing the efficacy of these governments in such fields as agriculture, housing, and healthcare, they reveal patterns of associationism, trust, and cooperation that facilitate good governance and economic prosperity. The result is a landmark book filled with crucial insights about how to make democracy work.

Awards and Recognition
Winner of the 1994 Charles H. Levine Memorial Book Prize
Winner of the 1994 Gregory Luebbert Award
Winner of the 1993 Louis Brownlow Book Award, National Academy of Public Administration
Honorable Mention for the 1993 Award for Best Professional/Scholarly Book in Government and Political Science, Association of American Publishers… (more)

This was very good, but it was also very dense and very long and a bit boring. It’s absolutely worth skimming so if you get a bleary from the sheer amount of information here don’t worry. It inspired me to start bringing a pack of playing cards wherever I go now, and I’m hosting a group of strangers next week to play old card games, so thanks Mr. Putnam—I am indeed becoming more happy.

(FASCINATING stuff in the internet chapter—This book needs an update desperately, I’m just begging for an interpretation of the digital age in this framework.)… (more)