SOCIAL CAPITAL AS A DETERMINANT OF LOCAL POLITICAL ELITE PERFORMANCE IN DEVELOPMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56015/gjikplp.v13i1.578Keywords:
Social Capital, Local Political Elites, Development Performance, Local Governance, Social NetworksAbstract
ABSTRAK
Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk membangun sebuah kerangka analitis yang dapat menjelaskan hubungan dinamis antara modal sosial dan kinerja elit politik lokal dalam konteks pembangunan. Melalui telaah literatur yang sistematis dan analisis konseptual yang mendalam, studi ini menggabungkan berbagai teori mutakhir dari ilmu politik, sosiologi, hingga studi pembangunan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa modal sosial berperan sebagai mekanisme katalis yang sangat penting dalam menentukan keberhasilan pembangunan daerah. Elit politik lokal yang memiliki cadangan modal sosial yang kuat, terutama dalam bentuk modal penghubung (bridging capital) dan modal pengait (linking capital), cenderung menampilkan kinerja pembangunan yang lebih efektif dan berkelanjutan. Sebaliknya, kekurangan modal sosial, terutama ketika disertai dengan menurunnya kepercayaan publik, sering kali menyeret elit ke dalam lingkaran kinerja yang lemah dan krisis legitimasi yang sulit diatasi. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa kapasitas modal sosial merupakan faktor kunci yang sering diabaikan dalam menilai kinerja elit politik lokal. Dari sisi teoretis, temuan ini menegaskan pentingnya pendekatan yang lebih holistik, yang memandang kepemimpinan lokal bukan sekadar sebagai hasil kemampuan individu, tetapi juga sebagai produk dari keterhubungan mereka dengan jaringan sosial di sekitarnya. Sementara itu, dari sisi kebijakan, penelitian ini menyoroti perlunya merancang intervensi yang berfokus pada penguatan kapasitas relasional para elit, melampaui pendekatan teknis dan administratif yang selama ini lebih dominan.
Kata kunci: Modal Sosial, Elit Politik Lokal, Kinerja Pembangunan, Tata Kelola Lokal, Jejaring Sosial
ABSTRACT
This paper aims to develop an analytical framework for understanding the dynamic relationship between social capital and the performance of local political elites in the context of development. Through a systematic literature review and in-depth conceptual analysis, this study synthesizes contemporary theories from political science, sociology, and development studies. The findings reveal that social capital functions as a catalytic mechanism that plays a crucial role in shaping developmental outcomes. Local political elites with abundant social capital, particularly in the form of bridging and linking capital, tend to exhibit stronger and more sustainable development performance. Conversely, a deficit of social capital, especially when marked by an erosion of public trust, can trap elites in a cycle of poor performance and prolonged legitimacy crises. This study concludes that the capacity of social capital is a key determinant that is often overlooked in assessing the performance of local political elites. Theoretically, it emphasizes the need for a more holistic approach that views local leadership not merely as an individual attribute but as a product of embeddedness within diverse social networks. From a policy perspective, the study highlights the importance of designing interventions that specifically aim to strengthen the relational capacities of political elites, going beyond conventional technical or administrative training.
Keywords: Social Capital, Local Political Elites, Development Performance, Local Governance, Social Networks
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