러시아사회의 신뢰와 불신

Abstract

Trust and Distrust in Russian Society Choi, Tai Kang No government enjoys the absolute trust of its citizens. Trust is important because it serves as the "creator of collective power enabling government to make decisions and commit resources without having to resort to coercion or obtain the specific approval of citizens for every decision. When trust is extensive, governments "are able to make new commitments on the basis of it and, if successful, increase support even more", creating, in effect, a virtuous spiral. When trust is low, governments cannot govern effectively, trust is further undermined, and a vicious cycle is created. Popular trust in social and political institutions is vital to the consolidation of democracy, but in Russia, distrust is the predicted legacy of Communist rule. This research draws upon survey data from the new democracies barometer to examine the structure and determinants of public trust in twelve social and political institutions of Russia. Economic performance has a large but consistent impact on trust and is highly dynamic both in the short and medium term. Civil and political institutions in Russia have yet to prove themselves trustworthy in the eyes of the majority of citizens. At the same time, these institutions have become objects of widespread distrust. The most of Russian is more and more inclined to reject all political authorities both at the national and local levels. Thus, trust and distrust in Russian society reflect public dissatisfaction with current economic performance, optimism about future economic performance, and dissatisfaction with the political performance of contemporary institutions.