Political Democracy, Trust, and Social Justice: A Comparative Overview

How healthy are modern democratic institutions? In Political Democracy, Trust, and Social Justice, Charles F. Andrain and James T. Smith seek explanations for political alienation and discontent within democracies throughout the world.

Basing their research on the 1995-1997 World Values Survey, the authors explore information about eight established democracies (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, West Germany, the United States, Japan, Spain) and seven democratizing societies, including three (East Germany, Bulgaria, Russia) that formerly had state socialist systems and four (Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile) where the military has played a crucial role. Andrain and Smith's keen analysis identifies general cultural values and structural conditions linked to political participation, popular support for democracy, and perceptions of justice in specific societies across the globe.

Teachers and students of democratic theory, comparative politics, and political sociology will welcome this penetrating new study. General readers concerned about the current strength of political democracy will find numerous stimulating ideas. This third volume in the Democratization and Political Development Series increases our understanding of "democratization"--the process of realizing full civil and political rights in a viable, representative system. Methodologically sound, concise, insightful, and a model for further inquiry, this innovative book will become a seminal work in comparative political studies.