Government Effectiveness And Institutional Trust In Japan, South Korea, And China

Japan, South Korea, and China have all achieved high economic growth rates in a relatively short period of time; they also have shared values. The phenomenon of rapid economic growth in a short period, however, raises questions about government effectiveness in managing sociopolitical issues such as corruption, human rights, and crime. By using the 2003 AsiaBarometer surveys, this article examines citizens\u27 perceptions about government effectiveness on the issues of corruption, human rights, and crime as well as the economy in the three countries. It then looks at the impact of said perceptions on trust in political institutions such as the central government, the legal system, and the legislature. The multilevel estimates suggest that effective management of the economy primarily affects trust in the central government; how the government deals with corruption primarily affects trust in parliament; whereas the management of human rights as well as crime reflects on trust in the legal system. © 2011 Policy Studies Organization