When dealing with the public, democratic governments can, and should, foster a sense of dignity among their population. There is no one silver bullet to building trust. However, the OECD Trust Survey provides clear evidence that governments need to demonstrate that they respect citizens and have their interests and voices at heart when tackling complex policy issues, using the best available evidence, upholding the public interest and enhancing accountability.
People’s sense that they have a say in what the government does sheds light on how responsive and accountable political institutions and leaders are to public needs and concerns. According to the survey results, only 30% of people on average believe that the political system in their country allows people like them to have a say in what government does, while 53% believe that it does not (Figure 2.10). People who feel they have a say in what the government does are, on average, more than three times as likely to say that they trust the government than those who don’t (see Section on “Levels of trust in public institutions”). This highlights the significance of political agency and participation in fostering trust, suggesting a need for policies that promote political inclusivity and engagement (OECD, 2024).
A sense of dignity is also enhanced by the belief that public institutions work for the general interest and not just for a few. However, there is a general perception that policy decisions are repeatedly skewed away from the public interest, in favour of special interests and the interests of the “powerful”. This undermines democratic values and exacerbates a sense of inequality and exclusion from the democratic political system. On average across countries, 43% of respondents say it is likely that their national government would accept the demands of a corporation promoting a policy beneficial to their industry but harmful to society as a whole (Figure 2.11).
People’s beliefs that public institutions are not upholding the common interest could be exacerbated by a perceived lack of government transparency. Only 41% of respondents across OECD surveyed countries believe that governments rely on the best available evidence, research and statistics to guide decisions (Figure 2.12). Strengthening the use of and communication around the evidence underlying policy decisions – and clarifying their impact on citizens’ lives – could improve public perceptions and significantly increase institutional trustworthiness (OECD, 2024). Finally, strengthening the oversight function of parliament, along with other inherent checks and balances in the political system in general, is likely to be a key ingredient helping to maintain support for representative democracy and further strengthen a sense of dignity. On average, only 38% of respondents are confident that their national parliament is holding their government to account. Among OECD countries, only in Switzerland and Denmark does this share rise to more than half the population (Figure 2.12).
