Participation and Trust in the Netherlands: Trends and Correlations, 1989-2010

In the Netherlands exists a widespread feeling that social cohesion in Dutch society is eroding, which is also reflected in a perception of a change from a high trust into a low trust society. Based on large-scale surveys and registers we investigate the development of: Volunteering and political participation (turnout and participation in political actions); Social, institutional and political trust; Overall, we found no empirical evidence for a decline in participation and trust levels. However, large gaps between prevailing groups in Dutch society reveal, in particular between lower and higher educated, natives and ethnic minorities, and various religious groups. In addition, participation and trust are strongly correlated and an accumulation of participation results in higher social and political trust rates. The findings are based on the Social Statistical Database which encompasses longitudinal statistical information on surveys and population registers from 1989 onwards, including age, ethnicity, disposable income, social benefits, voter turnout rates and regional variables. Survey data-sources are: Labor Force Survey: 2000-2010 (N = 900,000); Permanent Survey on Living Conditions: 1997-2010 (N = 350,000); European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions: 2008 (N=13,500). Dutch Parliamentary Election Studies: 1989, 1994, 1998, 2006 and 2010 (N=10,300); European Social Survey: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 (N=7,500); On a regional level, results are presented for provinces (12), municipalities (443) and neighbourhoods (8600). Clear regional patterns emerge in participation and trust levels. Especially high correlations are found between voter turnout, volunteering work, people depending on social benefits, social and political trust.