Increasingly Connected: Public Service Dissatisfaction and Political Distrust in Europe, 2008-2016

Welfare State Legitimacy in Times of Crisis and Austerity, Edited by Bart Meuleman, Wim van Oorschot, and Tijs Laenen, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019 Forthcoming

23 Pages Posted: 15 Dec 2018

See all articles by Lisanne de Blok

Lisanne de Blok

University of Amsterdam - Department of Political Science; VU University Amsterdam - Department of Political Science and Public Administration

Atle Haugsgjerd

University of Oslo - Department of Political Science

Staffan Kumlin

University of Oslo - Department of Political Science

Date Written: November 23, 2018

Abstract

The dramatic economic and political developments since 2008 brought renewed attention to how Europeans evaluate the institutions and outcomes of their political systems. This paper studies evaluations of the performance of welfare state policies (shorthand: performance evaluations), with a particular focus on how central public service evaluations impact on generalized confidence in democratic institutions (shorthand: political trust). Using European Social Survey Data (-2016), we ask two sets of empirical questions. First, has such performance dissatisfaction increased between 2008 and 2016? Second, have the previously well-established negative effect of dissatisfaction on political distrust become stronger? In both cases, we assess if any changes are more pronounced in countries more strongly exposed to crisis and austerity policies.

Suggested Citation

de Blok, Lisanne and Haugsgjerd, Atle and Kumlin, Staffan, Increasingly Connected: Public Service Dissatisfaction and Political Distrust in Europe, 2008-2016 (November 23, 2018). Welfare State Legitimacy in Times of Crisis and Austerity, Edited by Bart Meuleman, Wim van Oorschot, and Tijs Laenen, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019 Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3289590

Lisanne De Blok

University of Amsterdam - Department of Political Science ( email )

Binnengasthuis
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 237
Amsterdam, 1012 DL
Netherlands

VU University Amsterdam - Department of Political Science and Public Administration ( email )

Main Building VU 2E-72
De Boelelaan 1101
Amsterdam, 1081 HV
Netherlands

Atle Haugsgjerd

University of Oslo - Department of Political Science ( email )

Eilert Sundts hus 7th floor
Moltke Moes vei 31
Oslo, 0851
Norway

Staffan Kumlin (Contact Author)

University of Oslo - Department of Political Science ( email )

PO Box 1097
Blindern
Oslo, 0317
Norway

HOME PAGE: http://www.sv.uio.no/isv/english/people/aca/persku/index.html

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