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How political trust matters in emergent democracies: evidence from East and Southeast Asia

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  • Yap, O. Fiona
Abstract
How does political trust affect the competing pressures of policy versus political performance in emergent democracies? Studies suggest that political trust buffers against these pressures, but empirical evidence is lacking in regard to if or how, given the focus in the literature on mature democracies where democratic institutions and practices are unlikely to be upended by either policy or political underperformance. However, in emergent democracies where the risks of democratic reversal loom large, the distinction is highly relevant. This article investigates how political trust matters in emergent democracies, specifically, if political trust buffers against public pressures, and whether it is system-directed versus incumbent-directed, for East and Southeast Asia. The evidence from multiple waves of survey data provides three useful insights: first, it shows that political trust supersedes economic expectations in support for the democratising system; this supports political trust as a buffer for the political system and is system-directed. Second, political trust goes hand-in-hand with economic performance to explain support for the incumbent government. This finding clarifies that political trust does not buffer the government against public pressure for performance. Third, taken together, the results show that economic growth may keep a government in office but institution-building leads to political trust that undergirds the political system, so that institution-building is a priority for stability in emergent democracies. These results expand the political trust literature to underpin democratic progression and consolidation issues that are unique to emergent democracies.

Suggested Citation

  • Yap, O. Fiona, 2019. "How political trust matters in emergent democracies: evidence from East and Southeast Asia," Journal of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 39(2), pages 295-328, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:jnlpup:v:39:y:2019:i:02:p:295-328_00
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    File URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0143814X1800003X/type/journal_article
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. V. P. Kirilenko & G. V. Alekseev, 2021. "Measuring Political Trust in a Modern Democracy," Administrative Consulting, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. North-West Institute of Management., issue 10.
    2. O. Fiona Yap, 2020. "A New Normal or Business-as-Usual? Lessons for COVID-19 from Financial Crises in East and Southeast Asia," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(5), pages 1504-1534, December.
    3. Byung‐Jae Lee & Tae Wan Kim & Jaekwon Suh & O. Fiona Yap, 2021. "Local government performance and democratic consolidation: Explaining ordinance proposal in Busan Metropolitan Council," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(1), pages 15-41, January.
    4. Talia Goren & Dana R. Vashdi & Itai Beeri, 2022. "Count on trust: the indirect effect of trust in government on policy compliance with health behavior instructions," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 55(4), pages 593-630, December.
    5. O. Fiona Yap, 2021. "Local politics for democratic quality and depth: Lessons from South Korea," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(1), pages 5-14, January.
    6. Geiguen Shin & Byong‐Kuen Jhee, 2021. "Better service delivery, more satisfied citizens? The mediating effects of local government management capacity in South Korea," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(1), pages 42-67, January.
    7. Jae Hyun Lee & Jaekwon Suh, 2021. "Decentralisation and government trust in South Korea: Distinguishing local government trust from national government trust," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(1), pages 68-93, January.

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