Capital social, desarrollo y políticas públicas en Medellín, 2004-2007

Based on two programs, Planning and Participatory Budgeting and Transparent Management and Social Control from 2004-2007 Development Plan of Medellín, this article presents and analyzes the link between social capital, development (economic and social) and public policies. This work shows how those programs are actions which help to promote and strengthen social capital in the city. The first two parts of the article are about how social capital has been incorporated in development policies; the third uses the results of 1.210 surveys to show the connection between the two programs and Medellín in 2007 regarding citizen participation, administrative transparency and trust in government; in the last section, the authors offer some proposals to strengthen the programs analyzed in the city and they conclude that local government should continue both programs because of their ability to promote trust and cooperation in the City.