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Trust in Institutions: Atlantic Sentinel Reading List

Our best stories about declining trust in institutions and what this means for Western democracy

Nick Ottens

After writing yesterday’s editorial, about Republican attacks on the American FBI, it occurred to me we’ve published more than a few stories about declining trust in institutions and what this means for Western democracy. So I’ve added a tag, trust in institutions, to help you find those stories more easily.

Here is my selection of the best ones.

Falling Trust Makes Us More Vulnerable to Strongmen

Paris France
A young man looks out over the skyline of Paris, France from the Arab World Institute (Unsplash/Gwendal Cottin)

When we lose trust in one another, we’re more likely to demand or accept strong-handed leadership. Read more

Resist the Strongman’s Siren Call

Monument on Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington DC, November 12, 2012
Monument on Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington DC, November 12, 2012 (Laurabl)

America needs a national consensus for change, not a powerful individual to break the political deadlock. Read more

To Save Us from Someone Like Trump, Look to Institutions

Lesley Stahl interviews businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence for CBS News in New York, July 17, 2016
Lesley Stahl interviews businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence for CBS News in New York, July 17, 2016 (CBS/Aaron Tomlinson)

People have historically looked to “big men” for leadership. Institutions exist to rein them in. Read more