The economic crisis of 2008, trust in government, and generalized trust

doi:10.1017/CBO9781139152389.004

2 - The economic crisis of 2008, trust in government, and generalized trust

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 July 2014

Edited by

Brian Moriarty and

Eric M. Uslaner: Affiliation:
University of Maryland
Jared D. Harris: Affiliation:
University of Virginia
Brian Moriarty: Affiliation:
University of Virginia
Andrew C. Wicks: Affiliation:
University of Virginia

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Summary

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

the situation

The global economic crisis of 2008 damaged trust in the institutions of business and government among the American public. The Tea Party in particular stands out as a political movement that responded by viewing both big business and big government as being at fault.

key questions

Was the economic crisis responsible for reducing trust either in government or in other people more generally? What factors shape different forms of trust? How does survey data contribute to our understanding of political movements (such as the Tea Party movement) with respect to trust in institutions?

new knowledge

When survey researchers ask whether “most people can be trusted,” respondents interpret this question as referring to strangers, not to people we know people we know. They do not tend to see the question as reflecting their life experiences, but rather as reflecting a general worldview.However, trust in people we know and people we don’t know are not the same thing, nor can we readily move from the former to the latter.

Information

Type: Chapter
Information: Public Trust in Business , pp. 19 - 50

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139152389.004 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2014

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