Trust, legitimacy and deliberation: Empirical research and practical applications

Abstract

In this paper I examine the analyses of the decline of interpersonal and institutional trust. I claim that, even though different explanations are partially on point, they still fail to clarify the existing problem and propose an adequate solution. In the last part of the paper I outline one possible solution for increasing the levels of public trust - implementing various elements of deliberative education within the existing educational institutions. In the end, I try to defend the conclusion that deliberative education is a necessary step toward raising the levels of institutional and interpersonal trust, and that, if so, this represents an argument in favor of the general applicability of deliberative democracy.