Section 3: Chapter 10, Introduction Summary and Analysis

Putnam argues that something important happened in the last part of the twentieth century. In the first part of the century, Americans became more active socially and politically. They gave more money to charities, participated in community projects, and attended club meetings. Then, they started to stop doing these things. In comparison to where America was half a century ago, America is less connected and less involved. While many people are "members" of organizations and associations, it is generally in name only.

Putnam wants to find common factors that may have led to these declines. None of the usual suspects stands out as a possible explanation. The declines hit almost every part of American society. While the levels of participation may differ across social categories, the trends are similar. Putnam thinks that the place to start may...