When inequalities matter most: The crisis of democracy as a crisis of trust

Abstract

In this chapter, we shift our attention from the macro factors of democratic crises to the micro level. In so doing, we seek to develop an analytical model to better understand how trust in politics, as a central pillar of democratic legitimacy and stability, is not simply imposed from the top down, but built from the bottom up. Our focus on the individual actor complements previous arguments in a crucial way. Inequalities and economic security do matter. But, in terms of legitimacy and social cohesion, they matter more at some times than at others. What is crucial is the individual perception of how such economic factors translate into responsiveness and transparency of a given political system. As we contend, perception, in turn, is strongly influenced by public discourses, dominant ideologies and the ways that specific policy questions are framed.