Social relationships which are at the base of social capital enable access to different resources. As a set of resources available through social relationships, social capital is in fact social and political phenomenon; resultant, in the sociological science, from institutions and activities of social groups. At the same time, social capital has its economic dimension reflected in the additional productivity which results from the synergy of social relationships. However, there are disputes among authors about whether we could those aspects of social structures which are usually labelled as social capital really regard as a form of capital. The aim of this paper is to investigate justification of use of the term „social capital“ to indicate resources available through social ties, which could enhance welfare of individuals and of the entitire society. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 179013: Održivost identiteta Srba i nacionalnih manjina u pograničnim opštinama istočne i jugoistočne Srbije]