Original title: Pasitikėjimas valstybe: prielaidos, iššūkiai, sprendimai
Publishing date: 2017
Publisher: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla
Language: Lithuanian
Pages: 262
Description:
The monograph seeks to understand what causes trust in a state and its institutions in Lithuania and other post-communist European Union (EU) member states. The book addresses the issue of strongly differing trust trajectories in various countries of the region and seeks to explain these differences. After regaining independence, the trust in public institutions in Lithuania was among the lowest in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the EU. Despite the improvement of the situation, suspicion and fear between the Lithuanian state and its citizens remained relatively strong.
Instead of talking about political institutions and relying on their ratings highlighted in media, the authors of this monograph rather analyze trust in the so-called impartial governance institutions: judicial system, police, civil service, healthcare system. Also, as one of the main expressions of trust in the state, peoples’ willingness to pay taxes is analyzed. The book lays out empirical and theoretical arguments to ground a thesis that, in fact, trust in this kind of politically neutral institutions is key to mutual understanding and economic welfare.
In this regard, the monograph is oriented towards practical use. It seeks to prove the ways in which the improvement of governance could help raise trust in the state and its institutions.
Cite as: Bakutis, R. et al. (2017) Pasitikėjimas valstybe: prielaidos, iššūkiai, sprendimai. Vilnius: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla.
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