Institutional Trust and Satisfaction with Democracy in Bangladesh: Evidence from World Values Survey
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55737/trt/v-iii.383Keywords:
Public Institutions, Democratic Satisfaction, South Asia, Democracy, World Values Survey 7Abstract
Higher levels of institutional trust are usually associated with more positive evaluations of democratic performance. In this context, the current study examines how confidence in public institutions shapes democratic satisfaction in Bangladesh. This quantitative study draws on survey data from the World Values Survey (Wave-7), collected in 2018 using multistage stratified sampling (N = 1200). In addition to descriptive analysis, we used linear regression and random forest regression for data analysis. The regression analysis indicates a close association between citizens' institutional trust and satisfaction with democracy. The linear regression model demonstrates a very strong fit, as indicated by an R value of 0.955, an R² of 0.912, and an adjusted R² of 0.911. Trust in government is the strongest predictor of democratic satisfaction, followed by trust in Parliament. Trust in political parties and police is also significantly associated with democratic satisfaction. Although trust in the justice system has a positive relationship, it is not statistically significant. These outcomes indicate that citizens' evaluations of institutions are directly connected with political representation, governance, and public administration, which are particularly important in shaping their democratic satisfaction. The Random Forest regression was performed for a more meaningful analysis; however, its predictive performance remained limited. The findings of this research modestly contribute to the existing literature and provide some useful insights to policymakers.
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