Trust in a Polarized Age

Americans today don't trust each other and their institutions as much as they once did. The collapse of social and political trust has arguably fueled our increasingly ferocious ideological conflicts and hardened partisanship. But is today's decline in trust inevitable or avoidable? Are we caught in a downward spiral that must end in institutional decay or even civil war, or can we restore trust through our shared social institutions? In Trust in a Polarized Age, political philosopher Kevin Vallier offers a powerful counter-narrative to the prevailing sense of hopelessness that dogs the American political landscape. In an unapologetic defense of liberalism that synthesizes political philosophy and empirical trust research, Vallier restores faith in our power to reduce polarization and rebuild social and political trust. The solution is to strengthen liberal democratic political and economic institutions--high-quality governance, procedural fairness, markets, social welfare programs, freedom of association, and democracy. These institutions not only create trust, they do so justly, by recognizing and respecting our basic human rights. Liberal institutions have safeguarded trust through the most tumultuous periods of our history. If we heed the arguments and data in this book, trust could return.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Trust and Polarization Chapter 1: Must Politics Be War Here and Now? Chapter 2: Social and Political Trust: Concepts, Causes, and Consequences Chapter 3: Civil Society and Freedom of Association Chapter 4: The Market Economy Chapter 5: The Welfare State Chapter 6: Against Egalitarianism Chapter 7: Democratic Constitutionalism Chapter 8: Elections and Process Democracy Epilogue: How is Trust Restored?

About the Author :
Kevin Vallier is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Bowling Green State University, where he directs the program in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law. He is the author of three monographs, four edited volumes, and over forty peer-reviewed book chapters and journal articles. His books include Liberal Politics and Public Faith: Beyond Separation (Routledge, 2014) and Must Politics Be War? Restoring Our Trust in the Open Society (Oxford University Press, 2019).

Review :
"Vallier provides a detailed contribution to normative political theory by extending and modifying the public reason account of political justification, but he also provides a more positive account of the operation of politics in which the interplay between political institutions and social trust determines social outcomes." -- Alan Hamlin , University of Manchester "The overall trend of the last several years toward distrust and polarization is undeniable, and Vallier offers a compelling explanation of why it is happening. [...] Trust in a Polarized Age makes a substantial contribution to the discussion [... and is] a valuable tool to build the foundation for any substantive discussion on how both policymakers and commentators can contribute to a more unified, trusting future." -- Erraticus "[Kevin Vallier] is a leading advocate of public reason liberalism and his latest book is a distinguished contribution to that school of thought.... Vallier has written a book fully worthy of his eminent mentor Gerald Gaus." -- David Gordon, Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics "A survey of a political and social landscape in which trust, a key element of democracy, is absent. . . . An empirically grounded work of interest to political scientists and policymakers as much as social philosophers." -- Kirkus Reviews "Social trust in the US had been declining for decades as political polarization has surged. A coincidence? Kevin Vallier says no.' He makes a compelling case that distrust and political conflict are enmeshed in an insidious feedback loop. But Vallier offers a way out. His solution is to reinvigorate the central institutions of political liberalism: rights of association, markets, and the welfare state. These institutions offer a way to increase trust 'for the right reason' and help break the cycles of political dysfunction." -- Nolan McCarty, Susan Dod Brown Professor of Politics and Public Affairs, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University "In the avalanche of books about democracy's current dysfunctions, Kevin Vallier's Trust in a Polarized Age really stands out. Vallier argues that troubling levels of polarization, partisanship, and incivility have their source in an underlying breakdown of social and political trust. Wielding empirical, conceptual, and normative tools with precision and nuance, Vallier defends the thesis that liberal democracy remains our best hope for a peaceful, just, and free society. He shows that, in the end, the question lies with us: do we want such a society, or would we prefer that politics be a kind of war?" -- Robert Talisse, W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy, Vanderbilt University "Kevin Vallier has written a fantastic and timely book. Trust in a Polarized Age shows that Americans have less trust in each other and their government than in any time in recent memory. This comes at a great cost of eroding fundamental social institutions and aggravating partisan divisions. Using the latest empirical research, Vallier masterfully shows that all is not lost. Certain liberal rights and practices, such as freedom of association, private property, welfare programs, and voting, produce trust in the real world. This book will be a touchstone for anyone in philosophy, political science, or economics working on these issues." -- Christie Hartley, Professor of Philosophy, Georgia State University