Absence of Political Parties and People's Trust in the Government: A Positive Analysis of Pacific Island Countries and Other Microstates

Jun Makita

Social Science Quarterly, 2025, vol. 106, issue 4

Abstract: Objective Political parties are essential to modern democratic politics. However, in some countries, stable political processes have been maintained without parties; six Pacific microstates are representative cases of this phenomenon. This article focuses on the function of no‐party politics and clarifies the relationship between the absence of parties in these nations and people's trust in the government. Method The following hypothesis: “The absence of parties in microstates has the effect of fostering people's trust in the government” is verified through statistical analysis using “Governance Matters IV: Governance Indicators 1996–2004,” a large‐scale dataset created by the World Bank. Results The statistical analyses provided important suggestions for the causation between the existence of parties and people's trust in the government. Conclusion The hypothesis was partially verified through statistical analysis. However, major scientific efforts may be needed to sublimate this into an academically verified proposition.

Date: 2025
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