The article analyzes the concept of social capital popular in social sciences in recent years. The author outlines the theoretical frameworks of the concept and reflects on the importance of social capital for economic analysis. The first part of the article presents definitions, various interpretations and research into social capital. The next part shows the different approaches adopted by researchers such as Bourdieu, Coleman, Putnam and Fukuyama. Further on, the article refers to the discussion on the economic significance of the term (according to economic terminology) and presents several methods to measure it. It then examines the issue of social capital in the context of economic research and presents conclusions on the influence of this factor on economic systems. The article ends with concluding remarks about the "dark side" of social capital, or its negative effects on society and the economy.