Trusting the Courts
Exploring the Link Between Populism, Trust in Courts, and Democracy in Brazil
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6156458 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tainara Pereira Da Cruz (0000-0003-2485-7132, University of Wisconsin–Madison, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Publication date | 2024-11-20 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Politics in Latin America (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1868-4890 • E-ISSN: 1866-802X |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/1866802x241295784 |
| OpenAlex | W4404548069 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 44 |
Under which conditions do people tend to mistrust Courts, and what is the association between mistrust in Courts and perception of democracy? I argue that exposure to populist leaders and their antiestablishment disruptive rhetoric increases mistrust and its association with dissatisfaction with democracy. However, during times of crisis, courts can fortify democratic principles, thereby weakening this association. This argument is supported by data from a nationwide survey in Brazil during critical years (2018–2020) and the Latinobarómetro survey (2000–2020). Findings show that trust in courts, particularly the Federal Supreme Court (STF), was lowest during Bolsonaro's election and his first year in office, with a strong association between court mistrust and dissatisfaction with democracy. In 2020, when the STF defended federalism and equality against presidential overreach, trust in courts rose significantly, and the connection with democratic dissatisfaction weakened. This study adds to the literature on democratic erosion under populist regimes and highlights the STF's role in protecting Brazilian democracy
Argument (complex analysis · Democracy · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Populism · Presidential system · Sociology · Supreme court · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Judicial and Constitutional Studies · Law · Politics and Society in Latin America · Public Administration
Curbing the Court
International organizations in a new era of populist nationalism
Veto Players
Modernization, Cultural Change, and Democracy
Insecure Institutions
Courts and the judicial erosion of democracy in Latin America
The Legitimacy of the US Supreme Court
Exclusionary vs. Inclusionary Populism
Strategies of Repression
Knowing the Supreme Court? A Reconsideration of Public Ignorance of the High Court
How Does Hyperpoliticized Rhetoric Affect the US Supreme Court’s Legitimacy
Defenders of Democracy? Legitimacy, Popular Acceptance, and the South African Constitutional Court
Populist governments, judicial independence, and public trust in the courts
Veto Players and Institutional Analysis
Three forms of trust and their association
Informal interference in the judiciary in new democracies
Judicial backsliding
Veto and Voice in the Courts
Why People Turn to Institutions They Detest
Perceptions on justice, the judiciary and democracy
The Judicialization of Mega-Politics and the Rise of Political Courts
Decision Making in Political Systems
A Re-assessment of the Concept of Political Support
The Pandemic and the Crisis of Democracy in Brazil
Popular legitimacy and the exercise of legal authority
Bolsonaro and Brazil's Illiberal Backlash
The Role of Constitutional Courts in the Establishment and Maintenance of Democratic Systems of Government
Explanations of Institutional Change
Judicial Independence in an Authoritarian Regime
The Transmission of Political Values from Parent to Child
Political Issues and Trust in Government
Can Courts in Nondemocracies Deter Election Fraud? De Jure Judicial Independence, Political Competition, and Election Integrity
The Political Relevance of Political Trust
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |