Twelfth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

Global politics in the last three years has seen a troubling shift towards far-right, populist rhetoric. The trend caught the world’s attention with Brexit, and continued through Donald Trump’s election and the over-performance of far-right populist parties across Europe. This resurgence of populism 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. 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. This paper demonstrates how the movement toward greater government transparency and sound economic policies 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.