‘Why Should I Trust You?’ An Empirical Investigation of Determinants of Trust and Distrust in Romanian Post-socialist Urban Society

Adriana M Soaita Centre for Housing Research

University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK

Slide 1

‘Why Should I Trust You?’

Slide 1

‘Why Should I Trust You?’ Determinants of trust and distrust in

post-socialist Romania

Slide 2



What are the determinants of trust and distrust in Romania?

Focus on social and institutional trust

Slide 3



What is trust?

Trust Trustworthiness

Reliance and confidence

that others will meet

their commitments

Expectations about skills

and good intentions

Advantage of trusting well,

disadvantages of trusting

the untrustworthy

Commitment to fulfill the

legitimate expectations

of others (and self)

Skills, willingness

and opportunity

Advantage in being seen as

trustworthy, disadvantages

of being untrustworthy

Slide 4

Trust – Healthy skepticism – Distrust Lack of trust

What is trust?

Property of individuals: Basic trust Personality trait: optimism, honesty, altruism

Property of social systems: Social trust Historic legacies create persistent high/low trust cultures

Property of social relations: Institutional trust A group attribute dependent on the type of arrangements

Slide 5

Theoretical framework

Micro-mezzo-macro dynamics Each positive contact with a doctor increases our confidence in the medical system (Misztal, 1996:15)

Rationally-informed choice

Others’ trustworthiness

Socially-informed choice

Situational risk assessment:

What is at stake

Setting thresholds

Assessing partner’s reliability

Go-betweens

Norms & values

Incentives and penalties

Monitoring & enforcement

Cultures of generalized high / low trust

Slide 6

International comparisons

A majority trust others A majority distrust others

Healthy skepticism

High-trust

societies: Germany

Japan, US

Low-trust

Societies: Italy, France

Post-communist

Slide 7 (2009, World Values Survey)


Communist legacies of distrust

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Fran

ce

Swit

zerl

and

W G

erm

any

Ital

y

Jap

an UK

US

Swed

en

No

rway

Bra

zil

Arg

enti

na

S A

fric

a

Mex

ico

Spai

n

Ro

man

ia

Slo

ven

ia

Latv

ia

Hu

nga

ry

Bel

oru

s

Esto

nia

Bu

lgar

ia

Lith

uan

ia

Po

lan

d

% people trusting by prior-regime type (1990, World Values Survey)

Old democracies (Index mean 94 = ‘trust’)

Post authoritarian (Index mean 55 – ‘distrust’)

Post communist (Index mean 53 – ‘distrust’)

Slide 8


Post-communist change Social trust

Old democracies

mean fall = 6

Post authoritarian

mean fall = 16

Post communist

mean fall = 5

Change in Social Trust (Trust Index 2009/1990, World Values Survey)

UK US

IT

JP DE

SW

HE NO

ES MEX

S.A

AG

BR

PL

BU LT EST HU

LV

SL

RO

BL

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

Slide 9


Post-communist change Institutional trust

Evaluated holistically

Severe skepticism or outright distrust

Lower than social trust (except Romania)

Citizens continually evaluate institutional

performance and adjust their trust

Slide 10

Methodology Pitesti Socialism: Fast industrialization & delayed urbanization

Post-socialism: Successful economically & intense suburbanization Slide 11

Methodology

Residents:

250 questionnaires

60 interviews

Additional:

9 interviews

(decision makers)

Pitesti Socialism: Fast industrialization & delayed urbanization

Post-socialism: Successful economically & intense suburbanization Slide 12

Methodology Slide 13

Not or just

enough to

live on

Enough to live decently

without affording

expensive goods

Enough to buy

some / all expensive

goods needed

Block residents 42 32 25

Suburbanites 11 34 53

National average 69 22 9

Primary/ gymnasium Secondary University and over

Block residents 8 59 33

Suburbanites 1 33 66

National average 41 46 9

Education (%)

Economic profile (%)

Trust in Local Authorities

Slide 14

Favoritism Misrule of law

Lack of accountability

Social learning

Media

get done

Express voice

The mayor

3rdparty

class Political

control Civil servants

Civil servants

Things

Corrup- tion

Trust in Local Authorities

Slide 15

Corruption Favoritism

Misrule of law

3rdparty control

servants

Things

Civil

get done

The Mayor

Voice

Experience with Local Authorities

Slide 16

Corruption & favoritism How can I trust when I see all power structures smeared from top to

bottom? How shall I say? Take with one finger, but not with a whole hand!

Misrule of law (the judiciary & police) You made the LAW, but you needs to guard it! Implemented! Respect it!

If one breaks it, take that case to trial!

Discontent with the political class

Institutional trust Slide 17

(code density)

61 (72%) 26

(41%) 24

(28%)

37 (59%)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Trust in local authorities Experience with LA

Negative views Positive views

Better institutional performance I see a bureaucracy that works, every paper is now registered, whether a

claim, a proposal or a complaint. It’s visibly better !

These days, I resolve all my problems with no gifts, no bribes.

Civil servants don’t patronise you anymore but if they do... There are now

CCTV and one can now prove if badly treated.

Things get done (city transformation) It’s more pleasant to live here than before. The city centre has been

redesigned, old kiosks were replaced by stylish shops & supermarkets…

Institutional trust Slide 18

(code density)

61 (72%) 26

(41%) 24

(28%)

37 (59%)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Trust in local authorities Experience with LA

Negative views Positive views

Social trust Slide 19

capitalist Predatory

Inequality

Envy

Poverty

Transition

Trust Value at stake

Thresholds Risks assessment

Rational strategies

Knowing the other trust

Self- ness

No

moral

values

Dis- Not

Knowing

the other

Communism Secret police

Shortages Atomized society

Disappointment


Insular individualism & materialism Many people would now step on tombs to get their own interest against anyone

else. We don’t care about others anymore, we all want now ‘to have’ the most!

Predatory capitalism People no longer trust. They were too often fooled with pyramidal investment

schemes, insolvent banks, false charity, business... So, mistrust is expanding.

Inequality & social distance Many have now become poor-poor, a few rich-rich. The rich don’t greet you

anymore… Until you made money – and I don’t comment how – we were equal,

we lived in the same block, and we were good to be friends back then!


117 (70%)

49 (30%)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Generalized interpersonal (dis)-trust

Distrust Trust

Risk assessment (RCT) If I would rather trust? Well, it depends. I trust you to open my door and

hear what you say. But if you ask for money, well, it’s a different matter!

Social learning My husband is wrong, he has too much trust in people, in neighbours. He

is different from me, his family had a different life than mine…

Inscribed trust You can’t trust anyone but you can’t distrust everyone, either. So you trust

your parents, good brothers, true friends.


117 (70%)

49 (30%)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120


Distrust Trust


117 (70%)

49 (30%)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120


Distrust Trust

Old democracies

mean fall = 6

Post authoritarian

mean fall = 16

Post communist

mean fall = 5

Change in Social Trust (Trust Index 2009/1990, World Values Survey)

UK US

IT

JP DE

SW

HE NO

ES MEX

S.A

AG

BR

PL

BU LT EST HU

LV

SL

RO 2005

BL

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

Collapsing social trust Response to raising social distance & insular individualism

Transition outcomes have drastically reinforced legacies of distrust

Increasing institutional trust Negative views are centred on the national scene

Reacts to positive (institutional) changes, albeit with some inertia

Conclusions Slide 24

Policy? Institutional change to increase transparency and accountability

Addressing the legitimacy crisis (political class, judiciary)

Addressing socioeconomic inequality (and poverty)

Recommendations Slide 25

Slide 26

Thank you

‘Why Should I Trust You?’ An Empirical Investigation of Determinants of Trust and Distrust in Romanian Post-socialist Urban Society

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