Insights from the 2021 OECD Trust Survey: How people evaluate the trustworthiness of government institutions & implications for policymakers

Abstract

The inaugural OECD Survey on the Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions asked respondents in 22 OECD countries to evaluate the trustworthiness of national and local governments and other public institutions as well as to report their perceptions and experiences with various public governance–related drivers of trust (factors likely to affect trust) in those institutions. The main drivers include the government’s competence (as indicated by its reliability and responsiveness) and government values, including integrity, openness, and fairness. The article highlights the key findings of the survey and of analyses exploring the impact of various drivers on trust. The results underscore that people are relatively satisfied with delivery of public services and governments’ reliability, but it is crucial to enhance citizens’ perceptions of governments’ responsiveness and their perceived ability to influence public decision-making. The article also addresses the policy implications of the research and describes ways some countries have already used the country-specific findings as a guide to developing policies for reinforcing their citizens’ trust.