Figure 1: Changes in measures of Social Capital over three Rounds (2012, 2014 & 2017)
9%
Trust neighbours
36%
52%
17%
17%
19%
Not careful what you say
25%
18%
23%
Join others to raise an issue
2012
2014
50%
39%
44%
Attend a community meeting
Member of voluntary
association/community group
2017
20%
13%
11%
Not unsafe walking in
neighbourhood
79%
85%
93%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Figure 1 shows the changes in the individual components of the social capital measure over
the three rounds. Trusting neighbours (43%) and feeling safe in the neighbourhood (14%)
both increase over the five years. There is little change in being careful what you say, a
decline in being a member of a voluntary association or community group, and little change
in the other two measures, joining others to raise an issue and attending community
meetings. Apart from membership of voluntary associations or community groups, all the
separate components of social capital either stay static over the period or increase.
A contrast was done between women with “hi” and “lo” Social Capital. Firstly, there were
minimal changes in the percentage of women from 2012 to 2017 that could be described as
having “hi social capital” (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Percentages of “hi” and “lo” social capital
in women, 2012 to 2014
100%
90%
86%
90%
81%
80%
70%
60%
50%
Hi
40%
Lo
30%
20%
14%
19%
10%
10%
0%
2012
2
3
2014
2017
Secondly, these changes in social
capital over the three rounds were
statistically significant. The average
social capital score for 2012 was 2.5
(sd.1.6), which dropped significantly
in 2014 to 2.04 (sd.1.5),2 and then
rose significantly in 2017 to 3.2
(sd.1.6).3 This is the period from the
last
years
of
the
Inclusive
Government, the victory of ZANU-PF
in the 2013 elections (and the party’s
re-assumption of the government),
and the period of severe economic
decline again and very serious faction
fighting in most political parties.
T-test (2012 v 2014): t=7.14 (df=2398); p=0.0001.
T-test (2014 v 2017): t=15.29 (df=2398); p=0.0001.
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