Chapter Overview

This chapter examines the relationship between the state and its citizens through a discussion of the key concepts of authority, legitimacy, social capital, political culture and political socialization. The first part defines and highlights the sources of authority and legitimacy and examines how the state needs both to function effectively. Next, the chapter discusses the qualities of the ideal "democratic citizen" and examines how well the citizens of modern democracies measure up. The chapter then relates the concepts of social capital, political culture and political socialization to the functioning of democracies and ends with detailed examinations of how the attitudinal basis for democracy developed rapidly in Germany after World War II and how the level of trust in the government in the U.S. has declined since the mid-1960s.

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