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A revolt of the distrustful? Political trust, political protest and the democratic deficit

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  • Grande, Edgar
  • Gonzatti, Daniel Saldivia

Abstract

During recent crises in Europe, new heterogeneous protest movements have emerged that are difficult to label and classify. Existing studies suggest that the common denominator of these protesters is primarily the lack of political trust. Therefore, these new protest movements offer favorable conditions for investigating the relationship between political trust and protest, and the consequences of political distrust for the stability of democracy. Do these protests represent a revolt of the distrustful which intensifies the frequently invoked crisis of democracy? Our study answers this question by focusing on two recent protest movements, the COVID-19 protest and the so-called 'energy protest', which have been an important part of the Ger-man protest landscape in recent years. Based on new survey data, our results reveal a considerable lack of trust in the core institutions of representative democracy in Germany and that political distrust increases the readiness for protest and the acceptance of political violence. The consequences of distrust for democracy are ambiguous, however. The distrustful citizens are strong supporters of direct democracy but hold illiberal and restrictive attitudes towards minorities and migrants. Hence, there are good reasons to be distrustful towards the distrustful citizens on the streets.

Suggested Citation

  • Grande, Edgar & Gonzatti, Daniel Saldivia, 2024. "A revolt of the distrustful? Political trust, political protest and the democratic deficit," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Center for Civil Society Research ZZ 2024-603, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:wzbccs:295743
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Borbáth, Endre & Hunger, Sophia & Hutter, Swen & Oana, Ioana-Elena, 2021. "Civic and Political Engagement during the Multifaceted COVID-19 Crisis," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 27(2), pages 311-324.
    2. Patti Tamara Lenard, 2008. "Trust Your Compatriots, but Count Your Change: The Roles of Trust, Mistrust and Distrust in Democracy," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56, pages 312-332, June.
    3. Patti Tamara Lenard, 2008. "Trust Your Compatriots, but Count Your Change: The Roles of Trust, Mistrust and Distrust in Democracy," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56(2), pages 312-332, June.
    4. Rüdig, Wolfgang & Karyotis, Georgios, 2014. "Who Protests in Greece? Mass Opposition to Austerity," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 44(3), pages 487-513, July.
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    Keywords

    protest; political trust; political violence; democratic deficit; social movements;
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