Consider the following statements about forms of capital:
(A) Influential relatives and friends are a form of social capital.
(B) Material assets and income are a form of economic capital.
(C) Networks of contacts and social associations are a form of cultural capital.
(D) Educational qualifications and status are a form of social capital.
(E) Often, these forms of capital overlap, and one can be converted into the other.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → A, B and E only
(A) Influential relatives and friends are a form of social capital. — Correct. Social capital means networks of contacts and associations. Influential relatives and friends are such contacts, and they can help a person get a well-paid job.
(B) Material assets and income are a form of economic capital. — Correct. Economic capital is capital in the form of material assets and income. A well-off family that can pay for costly higher education is drawing on it.
(C) Networks of contacts and social associations are a form of cultural capital. — Incorrect. Networks of contacts and social associations are social capital. Cultural capital means things such as educational qualifications and status.
(D) Educational qualifications and status are a form of social capital. — Incorrect. Educational qualifications and status are cultural capital. Social capital is the network of contacts and associations a person can draw on.
(E) Often, these forms of capital overlap, and one can be converted into the other. — Correct. The three forms of capital often overlap, and one can turn into another. A well-off family uses economic capital to pay for higher education, and so gains cultural capital.
NCERT (2026-27): “Social Inequality … “family (economic capital) can afford expensive higher education, and so can acquire cultural or educational capital. Someone with influential relatives and friends (social capital) may – through access to good advice, recommendations or information – manage to get a well-paid job.” |