During the Covid-19 pandemic, there was lack of medical supplies in India. However, it was found that some people due to their good social network were able to get the medical supplies. This example reflects which kind of capital?

Social Capital

The correct answer is Option (4) → Social Capital

Social Capital: This refers to the benefits and resources individuals gain from their social networks and relationships. In this case, individuals with strong social networks (good connections) were able to access medical supplies through those connections, highlighting the value of their social capital.

In every society, some people have a greater share of valued resources – money, property, education, health, and power – than others. These social resources can be divided into three forms of capital – economic capital in the form of material assets and income; cultural capital such as educational qualifications and status; and social capital in the form of networks of contacts and social associations (Bourdieu 1986). Often, these three forms of capital overlap and one can be converted into the other. For example, a person from a well-off 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.