Eleventh Global Studies Conference

Abstract

Global politics in the last two years has seen a troubling shift towards far-right, populist rhetoric. It started when Donald Trump announced his candidacy in 2015, but it did not end there. The trend continued through Brexit, Trump’s election, and the over-performance of far-right populist parties across Europe. The movement towards populist politics was abrupt and unyielding, but for months, academics, pollsters, and the media alike failed to grasp what was happening. The rise of populist politics has directly coincided with the global collapse of trust in government institutions. As the uneven recovery of the 2008 financial crisis persists and the perception of government corruption continues to rise, distrust has spread throughout developed countries. When distrust grows, people are less likely to engage civically, and become more susceptible to the exploitation of political fears and populist politics. With people no longer placing their confidence in the government, they have turned to “a person like you” as a credible, trustworthy source. Political trust, defined as the belief by citizens that the government will make good policy in the absence of public scrutiny, is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy and the spread of distrust is incredibly corrosive to the legitimacy of the democratic system. This paper demonstrates how the movement toward greater government transparency and accountability are essential components in reestablishing public confidence in government action. Ultimately, good governance will breed political trust and that political trust will breed good governance. Movement in this direction is crucial, as distrust continues to breed fear and fear continues to breed hatred.