| Title | Deciphering the Dutch drop: ten explanations for decreasing political trust in The Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Published in | International review of administrative sciences, Vol. 74, p.283-305. ISSN 0020-8523. |
| Author | Bovens, M.A.P.; Wille, A.C. |
| Date | 2008 |
| Language | English |
| Type | article |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications |
| Abstract | The Netherlands has always been the odd case out regarding trust in public institutions. In the 1980s and 1990s, contrary to international trends, trust in government remained high and even increased. Suddenly, from 2002 onwards, public trust in government declined dramatically. In this article we examine the plausibility of ten explanations, embedded in the international scholarly literature, and explore whether they are empirically supported or rebutted in case of the Dutch drop. We find that because most of the literature concentrates on the crossnational erosion of political support over a long period within Western democracies, explanations tend to focus on gradual, long-term demographic, social, and political trends. Sudden dips in trust levels, however, require different sets of explanatory factors; they are better explained by political or economic contingencies, such as sudden political or economic crises. In the case of the Dutch drop, the most plausible explanation is a combination of an economic decline, combined with high political instability and contestation during the first Balkenende cabinets. As of 2007, with a new cabinet in office, and an economic recovery in place, trust figures are on the rise again. |
| Publication | http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/USBO/2009-0818-200204/UU... |
| Persistent Identifier | URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1874-34994 |
| Metadata | XML |
| Repository | Utrecht University |
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