A Matter of Trust: How Political and Social Trust Relate to the Acceptance of Covid-19 Policies in Germany

Abstract

ABSTRACT In Germany, the federal and Länder governments have been implementing policies in order to contain the spread of Covid-19 since March 2020. This article examines the effects of political and social trust on the acceptance of these policies. The latter is, in turn, a prerequisite for compliance with public policy. In a multi-level regression analysis based on two waves of survey data collected in May and November 2020, we find that trust relates to the acceptance of anti-pandemic measures. Political trust, i.e. trust in political actors and institutions has a positive effect on acceptance. Social trust, meaning the trust in other citizens is found to reduce acceptance of measures like contact restrictions. In addition, ideological positions influence the effects of both trust variables. The impact of political trust on acceptance increases with increasingly liberal positions in both survey waves, since individuals with these positions might generally be more wary of state interference. We also found an interaction between social trust and ideology during the second wave: the further respondents are on the political right, the more the negative effect of social trust on acceptance is enhanced, as these individuals might favour individualism and self-reliance in general.