ON AMERICAN SOCIETY

"America at the end of the 19th century, as at the end of the 20th, suffered all the symptoms of a social capital deficit. Back then, crime rates were rising; the gap between rich and poor was growing; there was degradation in the cities; people experienced political alienation and sensed corruption in the system.

One hundred years ago, we fixed it. The period from 1890 to 1910 saw the invention of most of the major civic institutions of American life today, including the Boy Scouts, the League of Women Voters, the NAACP, Knights of Columbus, organized labor unions, the Rotary Club, the Kiwanis Club, and the YMCA.

Nobody likes the idea that in order to reconnect we have to go back to the Elks Club. The problem of civic revitalization requires a lot of creativity--as much as has gone into the Nasdaq and stock trading in the last few years.

At the end of the 19th century, some people said, 'Life was much nicer back on the farm; back to the farm, please.'

Similarly, now it's tempting to say, 'Life was much better in the '50s. All women, please report to the kitchen, and turn off the TV.'

That's not what I'm saying at all. The challenge for the next 20 years is to reinvent the Boy Scouts." Stanfield Professor for International Peace