LONDON — The world is clearly passing through a crisis of political legitimacy. People in growing numbers do not trust their governments or their governing classes. In many cases they despise them.
Survey after survey shows that in many societies throughout the advanced world there is now a widespread lack of belief or confidence among ordinary people in the right of political leaders and the governing class to make decisions on their behalf.
For example, in the European Union the semi-official Eurobarometer survey shows that more than 80 percent of the voters do not trust political parties and more than two-thirds distrust their national governments. A recent wider survey of 18 advanced countries found that 63 percent of those questioned believed their government consisted of politicians and officials who looked after their own interests. Even more questioned whether their politicians acted for the benefit of the people.