Does It Take a Village? Privatization, Patterns of Restrictiveness and the Demise of Community

As presently structured, common interest communities -- the promised land of connection & civility -- are destined to disappoint those seeking an authentic sense of community. Finding meaningful solutions to this fundamental paradox is important, because community does matter, & our diminishing stocks of "social capital" impose considerable strain on social & legal systems. Understanding more about social capital, norms of generalized reciprocity, & the dynamics of community building sheds new light on common interest community deficiencies & bolsters the resolve to discover creative ways to mend the broken promises of this main staple of suburban & metropolitan development. Relevant community paradigms help to recast the reform dialogue & accompanying legal discourse in terms that facilitate cooperation, compromise, & "self-interest rightly understood.". Adapted from the source document.