Modeling of Public Trust in Basic Social and Political Institutions: a Comparative Econometric Analysis
Abstract: To what degree does trust in basic social and political institutions depend on the individual characteristics of citizens of different countries? To answer this question, three types of models have been estimated using the data of the fifth wave of the World Value Survey. The first model is based on the assumption of a generalized relationship for all countries, the second takes into account the heterogeneity of countries (using an introduction of the country-level variables), and the third applies a preliminary subdivision of countries into five clusters. The obtained results are used to suggest possible actions to increase public confidence in basic institutions.
