The correct answer is "informal social ties."
With that statement, Sociologist Robert Putnam was referring to informal social ties and how these promote bureaucracy.
Robert Putnam is a Professor of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He analyses the society of the US, observing how it has deteriorated civic and personal values. He wrote the book "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community," in which he suggests that new forms of social engagement must be developed to change the situation.
