Trust, Local Elites and Democratisation in Estonia

Only abstract. Paper copies of master’s theses are listed in the Helka database (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Electronic copies of master’s theses are either available as open access or only on thesis terminals in the Helsinki University Library.Vain tiivistelmä. Sidottujen gradujen saatavuuden voit tarkistaa Helka-tietokannasta (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Digitaaliset gradut voivat olla luettavissa avoimesti verkossa tai rajoitetusti kirjaston opinnäytekioskeilla.Endast sammandrag. Inbundna avhandlingar kan sökas i Helka-databasen (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Elektroniska kopior av avhandlingar finns antingen öppet på nätet eller endast tillgängliga i bibliotekets avhandlingsterminaler.Democratisation, but also trust and political elites have been studied by many different social scientists from various perspectives. However, the importance of trust in the democratisation process has not attracted much attention. It is necessary to add the dimension of the elites in order to understand the dynamics and relationship of these two complicated notions of trust and democracy, among the local elites. This thesis is relevant mainly because the theoretical analysis incorporates three complex concepts and their interconnection, which is supported by empirical evidence. The empirical part, with a survey conducted in Estonia, is intended to show the present situation of the level of democratisation and trust among local political elites in Estonia. The aim of this thesis is to shed light on some essential features of the post-communist democratisation process, namely trust among local political elites, satisfaction with democracy and changing value orientations. The thesis has three questions to which the author seeks answers to. Firstly, in what way is trust needed in the democratisation process and for what kind of reasons? Secondly, how do local political elites operate and what is their role in the democratisation process? Thirdly, how does the Soviet-era affect the democratisation process, local authority and the local political elite in their action? The main idea of this study is not to make broad generalisations, but to use the empirical material as supporting material in order to make some preliminary conclusions about the situation in contemporary Estonia. Yet, the sample was chosen carefully and therefore, it is possible to presume, that some tentative conclusions can be made. The author will make an attempt in preliminary conclusions to measure the level of democratisation in Estonia and also the level of trust among local political elites in Estonia