Functions of trust in authority

Функции доверия к власти

Alexey V. Baranov (Баранов А.В.)
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Alexey V. Baranov (Баранов А.В.): South-Russian Institute of Management of Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

State and Municipal Management Scholar Notes, 2025, vol. 2, 171-180

Abstract: Introduction. Trust in government is formed from the attitude to political information and to the world of politics in general. Trust in government is determined by the attitude of the population towards political objects and subjects, political parties, groups and associations; political leaders; the state and international organizations – to all objects in the minds of citizens associated with power and the state. Despite the fact that politics as a field of activity is always associated with the struggle for power, in which various means are used, the issue of trust between society and government affects the moral sphere, and therefore determines the quality of life of society. Purpose. To formulate the functions of institutional trust in government. Interdisciplinary research analyzes many functions of trust, but the functional of institutional trust in government has not been sufficiently studied in line with the political science approach. Methods. The method of system analysis of trust theories was used, which made it possible to determine the functional spectrum of institutional trust. Results. The functional spectrum of trust has been defined, which remains open to discussion and additions. Trust in authority is considered as a socio-political phenomenon that performs many significant functions regulating the relationship between society and the state. Among the functions of trust in authority are: 1) feedback function; 2) relationship deepening function; 3) psychological relief function; 4) additional social resource function; 5) complementary/humanistic function; 6) reduction function; 7) protective function; 8) instrumental function; 9) the function of harmonizing the subject's relations with the state, society and himself. Conclusions. It is significant that trust in authority is not a simple and unambiguous characteristic of modern society. Trust as a socio-political phenomenon can be characterized as a more complex and multidimensional category. It cannot and should not be unconditional. However, the maintained level of trust in the authorities is an indicator of the dynamics of social relations, without which stable and planned economic, social and political development of modern Russia is impossible. Based on the listed functionality, it is advisable to analyze and assess the level of trust in the government on the part of the population.

Keywords: trust in authority; functional of trust; state; society; power relations; institutional trust; feedback; client-centric state; interdependence of trust; unconditional trust; struggle for power and public trust (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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