Democracy and Trust

NOTE EDITORE

Surveys suggest an erosion of trust in government, among individuals, and between groups. Although these trends are often thought to be bad for democracy, the relationship between democracy and trust is paradoxical. Trust can develop where interests converge, but in politics interests conflict. Democracy recognizes that politics does not provide a natural terrain for robust trust relations, and so includes a healthy distrust of the interests of others, especially the powerful. Democratic systems institutionalize distrust by providing many opportunities for citizens to oversee those empowered with the public trust. At the same time, trust is a generic social building block of collective action, and for this reason alone democracy cannot do without trust. At a minimum, democratic institutions depend on a trust among citizens sufficient for representation, resistance, and alternative forms of governance. Bringing together social science and political theory, this book provides a valuable exploration of these central issues.

SOMMARIO

1. Introduction Mark E. Warren; 2. Do we want trust in government? Russell Hardin; 3. How can we trust our fellow citizens? Claus Offe; 4. Trust, well-being and democracy Ronald Inglehart; 5. Democracy and social capital Eric M. Uslaner; 6. Liberty against the democratic state: on the historical and contemporary sources of American distrust Orlando Patterson; 7. Trust, voluntary association and workable democracy: the contemporary American discourse of civil society Jean Cohen; 8. Trust and its surrogates: psychological foundations of political process Rom Harré; 9. Geographies of trust James C. Scott; 10. Altruistic trust Jane Mansbridge; 11. Democratic theory and trust Mark E. Warren; 12. Conclusion Mark E. Warren.

PREFAZIONE

Is declining trust in government and in other citizens bad for democracy? Democracy builds on a distrust of the powerful, and yet trust among citizens is necessary for democratic representation, resistance, and citizen governance. Combining social science and political theory, this book explores the paradoxical relations between democracy and trust.

ALTRE INFORMAZIONI

• Condizione: Nuovo
• ISBN: 9780521640831
• Dimensioni: 229 x 22 x 152 mm Ø 680 gr
• Formato: Copertina rigida
• Illustration Notes: 7 tables
• Pagine Arabe: 384