Abstract
The European welfare state faces considerable reform pressure resulting from demographic change and global competition. The speed of realized reforms differs markedly among countries although these countries face similar restrictions. Given this background our contribution focuses on the role of voter trust towards other citizens and towards political agents as a possible critical factor for a country*s reform ability. An econometric analysis based on aggregate country data suggests that international differences in trust as measured in comparative surveys can indeed offer an explanation for the differing speed of reforms in industrial countries.
| Translated title of the contribution | Trust and the Enforceability of Reforms |
|---|---|
| Original language | German |
| Pages (from-to) | 122-133 |
| Journal | Wirtschaftspsychologie |
| Volume | 2007 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 2007 |
Keywords
- social capital
- structural reforms
- liberalization
Fields of Science and Technology Classification 2012
- 501 Psychology