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Trust in Government in Times of Crisis: A Quasi-Experiment During the Two World Wars

Author

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  • Ahmed Skali
  • David Stadelmann und Benno Torgle

Abstract

Do crises erode trust in government? To answer this question, we leverage the quasi-experimental setting of the sharply increased military threat to the neutral county of Switzerland during the two world wars as an exogenous shock. In doing so, we exploit a unique feature of Swiss politics: government issuance of pre-referenda voting recommendations. We use constitu ent adherence to government recommendations as a behaviour al proxy for trus t in government, measured in real time prior to, duri ng, and after the crisis. Our difference-in- differences estimates provide strong evidence that constituents are significantly less likely to follow governmental voting recommendations during wartime.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahmed Skali & David Stadelmann und Benno Torgle, 2019. "Trust in Government in Times of Crisis: A Quasi-Experiment During the Two World Wars," CREMA Working Paper Series 2019-04, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    • Handle: RePEc:cra:wpaper:2019-04
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    Cited by:

    1. Benno Torgler, 2021. "The Power of Public Choice in Law and Economics," CREMA Working Paper Series 2021-04, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trust in Government; Crisis; WWII; World War II; Referenda; Switzerland;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • H56 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - National Security and War
    • H79 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Other

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