What the data reveals about democratic health, institutional legitimacy, and the future of civic life. Grounded in evidence. Written for anyone who thinks these questions matter.
A series of essays on what the Trust Gap reveals — about institutions, politics, trust, and what better looks like.
The UK ranks in the global top 10% for regulatory quality. Only 43% of British people trust their government. Both facts are accurate. Neither explains the other. That is the gap — and it is the defining political condition of our time.
Read essay →The second essay in the Society 21 series.
The third essay in the Society 21 series.
The remaining essays in the Society 21 series.
The concept piece. What the Trust Gap is, why it matters, and what three decades of international data tells us about where it leads.
Key Finding29 of 90 countries show the same pattern: strong institutions, collapsing trust. It is not regional — it is structural.
Analysis318 councils scored on statutory data. What financial governance, service delivery, and LGO signals reveal — and what new administrations have inherited.