ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the relationship between institutional trust and corruption in East Asian democracies. Yu-tzung Chang and Yun-han Chu find no empirical support for Asian exceptionalism. Their analysis shows that the detrimental effect of corruption on institutional trust is universal across all Asian democracies. Extending the earlier work of Chang and Chu and Chang, the chapter reexamines the empirical relationship between corruption and institutional trust in East Asian democracies. If political graft undermines institutional trust, corruption should be inversely related to institutional trust. The chapter covers seven East Asian democracies: Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia. Respondents who have positive perceptions of economic conditions are satisfied with democratic politics; perceive greater fairness, freedom, and accountability; and are tolerant have a higher level of institutional trust than other respondents. The chapter focuses that the trust-eroding effect of corruption is conditional upon whether citizens are tolerant of malfeasance in their country.
