TRUST TO MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY AND INTEGRATION OF SOCIAL SPACE OF LOCAL COMMUNITY

Abstract

The trust to the municipal authority is considered as an indicator of its social efficiency and the premise of the inclusion of local community in the development and implementation of municipal policy. The basis of public trust to the municipal government is the confidence in the real efficiency of institutionalized protection practices of individual and collective rights, the promotion of legitimate interests of citizens. The factor of the economic situation and material welfare of citizens is also of significant importance. Based on the results of the regional sociological study, the low level of trust to municipal government is stated. Dynamics of trust is associated with the stages of the economic cycle. It is determined that trust to the local authority, expressed as institutionalized practices of public participation, promotion of individual and collective interests, can serve as a basis for the integration of the local community and the growth of social capital of its participants. According to the results of empirical research, a positive relationship is fixed between the level of trust to the municipal authorities and the participation in such forms of social activity, as collective landscaping, fund raising and organization of holidays. The lower the level of trust, the higher the proportion of respondents who participates in the signature collection, campaigns, collective appeal to the authorities and other official institutions.