The Role of Social Trust on Property Right Protection: Physical Property Versus Intellectual Property

Abstract

While there have been numerous papers analyzing the political, economic and social effects of trust, there is little evidence on how social trust has an impact on property rights protection which is fundamental for promoting economic development. This study aims to investigate how trust value is related to property rights protection, focusing on the comparison of the effect on intellectual property rights versus physical property rights. Analyzing the data on property rights protection in 2015 from the Property Right Alliance organization and trust value from the World Value Survey from 1999 to 2014, we find that social trust has a direct effect only on intellectual property rights protection but less consistent on physical property rights protection. However, trust value has indirect effect on both forms of property rights protection via formal institutions. Our study, thus, adds to the literature by clarifying the context through which trust value affects cheating behaviors.