Norm Adherence, Trust, and Citizens' Compliance: Exploring Citizens Attitudes to Public Welfare Institutions Across Europe

Abstract

The state is responsible for protecting and caring for its citizens, which sometimes requires citizens' compliance. For public health protection, citizens must get vaccinated, and to safeguard children, citizens must report suspected child maltreatment. Whilst previous research often links political trust to compliance, it remains unclear whether trust in specific welfare institutions plays a more decisive role. This paper offers new insights into compliance and its relationship to political and specific trust. Survey data from representative population samples in Finland, Norway, Poland, and Romania compares compliance across healthcare and child protection services. Institutional theory is used to understand patterns of trust and compliance in different welfare state models. While most respondents comply with the state (60 per cent), notable variations exist across institutional context and welfare domains. Across countries, trust in specific welfare institutions, rather than general political trust, is associated with higher levels of compliance. Strengthening the legitimacy of specific welfare institutions can potentially enhance compliance.