Democratic Backsliding, Political Trust, and Efficacy: A Mechanism Linking Trust to Participation

Dr. Shahaf Zamir, Reichman University

Prof. Amnon Cavari, Reichman University

This article examines the relationship between democratic backsliding and the decline in public trust in political institutions, highlighting one of the central dangers of democratic erosion: reduced civic engagement and political participation. Without active citizen involvement, democracy loses both its substance and its legitimacy. We propose a key explanatory mechanism for this process: low political trust weakens individuals’ sense of political efficacy—the belief that they can influence the political system—which, in turn, reduces institutionalized forms of participation, such as voting and general political engagement

To test this argument, we draw on two large-scale surveys that measure political trust, political efficacy, and different expressions of political behavior. Our findings consistently show that political efficacy mediates the relationship between trust and participation. Moreover, while low trust helps explain participation in protests and acts of civil disobedience, efficacy operates in two distinct directions. High efficacy increases willingness to engage in public protest—a form of active civic involvement—but does not motivate acts of civil disobedience. Protest participation is driven by a combination of distrust and high efficacy, whereas civil disobedience stems from deep distrust and is not explained by efficacy

Accordingly, the effects of trust and efficacy on political participation are not uniform. Strengthening political efficacy may enhance institutionalized participation and channel distrust into legitimate protest, but it will not necessarily reduce tendencies toward civil disobedience rooted in profound political alienation. These findings underscore the importance of reinforcing both trust and efficacy as complementary strategies for sustaining civic engagement in democratic systems

The data is collected with the assistance of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) as part of the Program on Democratic Resilience (PDRD) at the Lauder School of Government

For Registration: https://www.eventer.co.il/research25112025