Section 2: Chapter 3, Civic Participation Summary and Analysis

America has always been a nation of organizations. Americans are more likely to participate in voluntary organizations than members of almost any other nation. Thousands of organizations exist in the United States today, many of which were also in existence in the 1950s. Official membership in an organization is one aspect of social capital, and it gives a good indicator of community involvement.

The number of voluntary organizations has increased. In 1968, there were 10,299 organizations and in 1997, there were 22, 901; however, not all these organizations have mass membership. Many voluntary organizations don't have any individual members at all. The average membership in these organizations is about one-tenth as large as in the late 1960s. The headquarters for many of these organizations is also no longer located near large concentrations of members, but in Washington D.C., where...