Corruption and trust: A model design

This article focuses on the interplay between political corruption and trust, both interpersonal and institutional. A model of corruption and trust is tested based on data from Transparency International and the European Social Survey. The European states which have not been yet considered in this context vary widely in the pervasiveness and level of corruption and, thus, offer an excellent case to study this relationship. Both new and established European democracies have experienced episodes of government corruption. Using pooled data from 24 European countries multivariate regressions show that lack of interpersonal trust increases perceived political corruption. Political corruption lowers trust in political institutions. Furthermore, twenty years after the collapse of communism, differences between Western and Central and Eastern European countries still prevail.