LAUSR

PurposeThe study aims to establish that religiosity has a positive link with government trust, making the secularization trend all the more likely to further erode this already fragile resource.Design/methodology/approachThrough the use of data from the World Values Survey and European Social Survey the link between religiosity and trust in government is examined.FindingsReligiosity and trust in government are positively linked in aggregate data.Research limitations/implicationsThe analysis is based on aggregated data, not individual countries, and religiosity is a complex concept to measure.Practical implicationsSecularization will have a long-term negative effect on government trust. Low levels of trust in government in the West are likely here to stay, or even worsen, as populations continue to secularize.Social implicationsWith less trust in government, it will be more difficult to govern effectively.Originality/valueThe author has not yet seen a full test on how secularization will impact trust in government. In fact, this study makes clear that the trend goes a long way explaining why trust in government has been falling in the developed world for decades.