Revija za sociologiju, Vol. 31 No. 3-4, 2000.
Izvorni znanstveni članak
Demokracija, povjerenje i socijalna pravda
Davorka Matić
; Odsjek za sociologiju, Filozofski fakultet, Sveučilište u Zagrebu
Sažetak
Until recently democratic theory did not pay enough attention to the phenomenon of social trust and its role in building a stable and prosperous democratic order. In time, and especially following the collapse of communism, it became clear that democracy can function only within societies characterized by a high level of trust and in which citizens are prepared and willing to work together towards some common goals. Such generalized trust that exists between disparate categories of people serves a number of functions critical to the development of democracy. This kind of trust enables communication among citizens and between different social groups, stimulates cooperative social relations, facilitates compromise and consensus, and contributes to tolerance and acceptance of differences. In this way trust underpins the growth and stability of democracy.
According to the author, a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between democracy and trust should answer the question of what is the source of this trust within society. This paper rejects as one-sided and oversimplified those explanations that view trust exclusively as a product of a specific society’s local traditions and culture. In addition, it stresses that in modem societies trust is not a given product of culture but, rather, is an active political achievement, a phenomenon that results from the continuity of certain fundamental institutional characteristics of society. Trust, it is argued, can be generated through government that is just, accountable, and devoted to the common good and through institutions whose practices are governed by the norms of truth-telling, promise-keeping, contract-fulfilling, justice and solidarity. This is why the principal task of the new Croatian government must be to build institutions whose patterns of behavior reflect these values. Failing this, the further development of democracy in our country will be seriously stunted.
Ključne riječi
democracy; trust - generalized; particularized; mediated by institutions; democratic
Hrčak ID:
154303
URI
Datum izdavanja:
31.12.2000.
Posjeta: 2.245 *