Trust and Public Policy
How Better Governance Can Help Rebuild Public Trust

Trust plays a very tangible role in the effectiveness of government. Few perceptions are more palpable than that of trust or its absence. Governments ignore this at their peril. Yet, public trust has been eroding just when policy makers need it most, given persistent unemployment, rising inequality and a variety of global pressures. This report examines the influence of trust on policy making and explores some of the steps governments can take to strengthen public trust.
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Update on measuring trust
Trust is one of the foundations upon which the legitimacy and sustainability of political systems are built. It is crucial to the implementation of a wide range of policies, and influences people’s behavioural responses to such policies. However, despite its acknowledged importance, trust is poorly understood and is not measured consistently across OECD countries.
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