Social Trust and Civic Participation in the Czech Republic

According the theory of civil society generalized social trust is enhanced in all sorts of civic activism; according the alternative hypothesis rather non-institutionalized participation based on collective action should be link to interpersonal trust. We assess the structure of social trust on data from ISSP 2004 survey in the Czech Republic using regression analysis with models of institutionalized (voluntary organization membership); non-institutionalized participation (social and political action such as demonstration, contact of media, donation); trust in political institutions, and satisfaction with political and economic situation. The results can not affirm the theory of institutionalized participation effect. The alternative hypothesis of non-institutionalized participation effect is valid only very poorly. The strongest predictor of social trust in the CR is declared positive satisfaction with political and economic situation together with trust in state institutions.