Why Distrust In Powerful Politicians Is Part Of A Functioning Democracy Podcast

(MENAFN- The Conversation) Surveys suggest that in many western democracies , Political trust is at rock bottom. Scandals, corruption, faltering economies, conspiracy theories and swirling disinformation are all playing their part. But is it really such a bad thing for people living in a democracy to distrust their government?

In this episode of The Conversation Weekly , we talk to political scientist Grant Duncan about why he thinks a certain level of distrust and scepticism of powerful politicians is actually healthy for democracy. And about how populists, like Donald Trump, manage to use people's distrust in political elites to their advantage.

Grant Duncan says most people don't grow up thinking“Do I trust the government?” unless they're asked by a pollster. And yet when things go wrong, he says,“we have good reason to stop and ask about promises kept or not kept”.

Duncan, who is from New Zealand, is currently a visiting scholar in politics at City St George's, University of London in the UK. His research focuses on the problems with political trust and how to get better governments . He argues that in democracies, people are not supposed to trust their government.

Duncan says, for example, that there would have been no United States of America without the American colonists' deep distrust of the government of King George III in England. Yet, he admits there is a paradox at the heart of democratic systems, which rely on trust to function. If you vote in a representative system, you're "placing a huge amount of trust in a very small number of people who will pass laws and governments and make decisions on our behalf”, he says.

Duncan believes Donald Trump's re-election as US president directly reflects the mood of political distrust in the country. Trump, alongside other populists from both the left and the right around the world, has exploited this paradox around representative government which means a small elite are entrusted with a lot of power.

There are ways to improve the trust that people have in their democracies, and while it's not just about blaming the government, Duncan believes those who wield power bear the much greater responsibility:

Alongside that comes actually competently delivering public services, and ensuring people's safety and security. And having leaders, who are conscious of their limitations, and transparent about the challenges they're facing, particularly in the face of technological developments like artificial intelligence. Charismatic leaders aren't going to come along and fix the problems for us, he says.

Listen to the full episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast to hear Grant Duncan talk about his reserach on political trust.

Newsclips in this episode from CBS News , ABC News (Australia) and PBS Newshour , Sky News .

This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Gemma Ware, Mend Mariwany and Katie Flood. Sound design was by Michelle Macklem, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl.

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