Introduction

Based on recent research, there is probably a negative feedback loop between falling social and political trust and rising political polarization, which this book calls the distrust-divergence hypothesis. The goal of the book, as outlined in the introduction, is to show how liberal institutions can interrupt the feedback loop through policies that increase trust, and that do so in the right way. They do so by recognizing and protecting a range of basic rights that give rise to trust-generating institutions and practices, such as freedom of association, markets, social welfare programs, and democratic governance. Liberal institutions can thereby increase trust, and reduce the destructive aspects of political polarization as a result.