Capital social como sustentáculo para o desenvolvimento: o caso do Distrito de Cachoeira - Maranguape - Ceará

Abstract

We analysed the relevance of Social Capital to sustainable development in Cachoeira district, placed in Maranguape town - Ceará. To the author social capital's strengthening is the faster and more effective way to the social and economical growth of poor and small communities, equitably. VVe searched to assess economical and sociocultural features of Cachoeira throug variables as age, gender, scholarity, occupational situation and health conditions, in order to proceed to a more detailed analysis of the other indexes. This study's analysis is based on the Social Capital Index (SCI) and Human Condition Index (HC!) building, wich provided to establish the correlation between these two important development indicators. The indexes contemplated by SCI were social participation, individual trust, political trust and values. With respect to HCl, the indicators were the same as HDI (Human Development Index), per capita income, education and longevity, with some differences on the variable wich forms educational indicator. This research proves the relation between SCI and HCl. The results obtained to the SCI and HCl indexes were classified as avarage, so we verify that social capital exists in the analised community and this have a positive correlation with HCl, that is to say, the more organised and the strongest to the collective cause the more sustained developed. We realize also that the community, even with a deal of social capital, does not use it to sustain itself with dignity yet, so the conceming is: how Cachoeira community can enjoy any advantage of existing social capital to its own sustainability?