In Government We Distrust: Citizen Skepticism and Democracy in the United States
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Joseph Gershtenson
Joseph Gershtenson is Professor of Government at Eastern Kentucky University where he teaches courses in American politics and research methods. His research interests include public opinion, elections, and Kentucky politics.
and
Dennis L. Plane
Dennis L. Plane is Professor of Politics at Juniata College. His research generally falls at the intersection of American political behavior and American political institutions.
Abstract
Virtually all accounts of political trust in the US regard declining trust over the past half-century to be troubling. We argue that these interpretations are in need of reassessment since they often are rooted in the normatively questionable assumption that higher trust is always desirable. We review traditions in democratic theory and American thought extolling the virtues of skepticism and distrust of government and discuss potential problems in common trust measures and conclusions based on them. Using data from the 2014 General Social Survey, we explore relationships between trust, commitment to being vigilant watchdogs of government, and attitudes and behaviors generally considered desirable for a healthy democracy. Our findings indicate that higher trust is not always accompanied by characteristics of good democratic citizens. In fact, it is those individuals who exhibit lower levels of trust with high levels of vigilance who are most politically engaged. Thus, healthy skepticism of government may contribute to the vitality of democracy.
About the authors
Joseph Gershtenson is Professor of Government at Eastern Kentucky University where he teaches courses in American politics and research methods. His research interests include public opinion, elections, and Kentucky politics.
Dennis L. Plane is Professor of Politics at Juniata College. His research generally falls at the intersection of American political behavior and American political institutions.
Appendix
Appendix Variable Labels, Question Wording, and Response Coding.
| Trust:To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Most of the time we can trust people in government to do what is right. Coded from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree). |
| Vigilance:There are different opinions as to what it takes to be a good citizen. As far as you are concerned personally on a scale of 1–7, where 1 is not at all important and 7 is very important, how important is it to keep watch on the actions of government? |
| Democracy Works:On the whole, on a scale of 0–10 where 0 is very poorly and 10 is very well, how well does democracy work in America today? |
| Few Corrupt:How widespread do you think corruption is in the public service in America? Coded from 1 (Almost Everyone Is Involved) to 5 (Hardly Anyone Is Involved). |
| Obey Laws:There are different opinions as to what it takes to be a good citizen. As far as you are concerned personally on a scale of 1–7, where 1 is not at all important and 7 is very important, how important is it always to obey laws and regulations? |
| Interest:How interested would you say you personally are in politics? Coded from 1 (Not at All Interested) to 4 (Very Interested). |
| Turnout:In 2012, you remember that Obama ran for President on the Democratic ticket against Romney for the Republicans. Do you remember for sure whether or not you voted in that election? Self-reported voters are coded as 1. Self-reported non-voters along with those who indicated they were ineligible or “didn’t know” are coded as 0. |
| Discuss Politics:When you get together with your friends, relatives or fellow workers, how often do you discuss politics? Coded from 1 (Never) to 4 (Often). |
| Gov’t Cares:To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? I do not think the government cares much what people like me think. Coded from 1 (Strongly Agree) to 5 (Strongly Disagree). |
| I Know More:To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? I think most people in America are better informed about politics and government than I am. Coded from 1 (Strongly Agree) to 5 (Strongly Disagree). |
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©2015 by De Gruyter
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Introduction
- Congressional Polarization and Political Trust
- Declining Trust in Congress: Effects of Polarization and Consequences for Democracy
- Poor Performance by Government: A Functional Explanation of Public Disaffection
- The Strategic Promotion of Distrust in Government in the Tea Party Age
- “Why Polarized Trust Matters”
- Young Voters, Declining Trust and the Limits of “Service Politics”
- In Government We Distrust: Citizen Skepticism and Democracy in the United States
- American Politics: “Broken” Since 1885
- Book reviews
- The First Civil Right: How Liberals Built Prison America
- Trading Democracy for Justice: Criminal Convictions and the Decline of Neighborhood Political Participation
- The righteous mind: Why good people are divided by politics and religion
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Introduction
- Congressional Polarization and Political Trust
- Declining Trust in Congress: Effects of Polarization and Consequences for Democracy
- Poor Performance by Government: A Functional Explanation of Public Disaffection
- The Strategic Promotion of Distrust in Government in the Tea Party Age
- “Why Polarized Trust Matters”
- Young Voters, Declining Trust and the Limits of “Service Politics”
- In Government We Distrust: Citizen Skepticism and Democracy in the United States
- American Politics: “Broken” Since 1885
- Book reviews
- The First Civil Right: How Liberals Built Prison America
- Trading Democracy for Justice: Criminal Convictions and the Decline of Neighborhood Political Participation
- The righteous mind: Why good people are divided by politics and religion
