The importance of trust-building in transition: a look at social capital and democratization in Central and Eastern Europe

This paper uses data from the 1995 and 2000 World Values Survey to examine and compare the relationship between social capital, education and democratisation in Western and Eastern Europe. The concept of social capital is measured using indicators of trust and membership in voluntary organizations, while the concept of democratisation is operationalized using indicators of democratic action. The research uncovers clear indicators showing that social capital is a factor in democratisation in Eastern Europe and that the existence of general social trust is a characteristic of the most successfbl transitions. The paper concludes that a trust-building mechanism based on reciprocity is indeed at work in the democratisation process and that social capital is an integral part of transition for the Eastern European states.