This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Anderson, C. J. Articles by Tverdova, Y. V. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Winners, Losers, and Attitudes about Government in Contemporary Democracies

Yuliya V. Tverdova

The article compares the effect of political majority and minority status on attitudes toward government in mature and newly established democracies. Specifically, it examines whether being in the majority translates into more positive attitudes toward government than being in the minority. Using surveys conducted by the International Social Survey Project (ISSP) in 12 democracies in 1996, it finds that being in the majority generally translates into more positive attitudes toward government. However, this effect is not of uniform magnitude across countries, nor does it affect all attitudes toward government equally. Specifically, the data show that being in the political majority or minority strongly affects attitudes toward the performance of the political system and the power of government, but does not affect people's levels of political efficacy in systematic ways.

Key Words: Elections • Government trust • Political trust • Satisfaction • Winners and losers

International Political Science Review, Vol. 22, No. 4, 321-338 (2001)
DOI: 10.1177/0192512101022004003


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. J. Tolbert, D. A. Smith, and J. C. Green Strategic Voting and Legislative Redistricting Reform: District and Statewide Representational Winners and Losers Political Research Quarterly, March 1, 2009; 62(1): 92 - 109. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Zmerli and K. Newton Social Trust and Attitudes Toward Democracy Public Opin Q, December 1, 2008; 72(4): 706 - 724. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. S. Weissert and K. Halperin The Paradox of Term Limit Support: To Know Them Is NOT to Love Them Political Research Quarterly, September 1, 2007; 60(3): 516 - 530. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. C. Craig, M. D. Martinez, J. Gainous, and J. G. Kane Winners, Losers, and Election Context: Voter Responses to the 2000 Presidential Election Political Research Quarterly, December 1, 2006; 59(4): 579 - 592. [Abstract] [PDF]