Soldiers and Society: Explaining Public Trust in the TNI
Scholars have long argued for the importance of public trust in institutions. Gamson (1968, p. 42) argues that trust functions as the “creator of collective power” which allows state institutions to make decisions without using a violent approach or having to continuously get the specific approval of citizens for every decision.
In the short term, public trust in governments could be the outcome of a long socialization process. Mishler and Rose (1997) argue, trust must be earned; it is a public evaluation of institutions based on performance (Hirschman 1970).
The military is no exception to this rule. In order for it to carry out its duties effectively, the military must gain high levels of public trust and confidence.
