Narrowing the trust divide

Abstract

The Trust Divide is that gap between voters’ expectations of, and their perceived satisfaction with, the performance of politicians and government institutions. It is argued that the Trust Divide continues to widen and trust in democracy is in a consequent decline. This hypothesis is tested by way of interviews with current and former Australian politicians and two rounds of questionnaire-based research directed at social, business and educational contacts across the Anglosphere. A follow-up survey scored voter suggestions (by Importance and Implementability) on reforms aimed at building the operational efficiency and resilience of liberal democracy. Survey results suggest that if liberal democracies are to resist their current adversaries, they would be well advised: to acknowledge the Trust Divide; understand its causes; recognise the risks it poses; implement reforms aimed at restoring voter trust in democracy; and improve the performance of institutions and politicians charged with its care.