The link between the institutionalization of distrust and post-materialistic values as a counter-argument to modern liberal democracy criticism

The importance of the research arises from the necessity for a theoretically supported response to liberal democracy criticism, which has grown dramatically in recent decades. The goal of the work is to provide a theoretical foundation for a more balanced assessment of modern liberal democracy, taking into account the complexity it acquired in the second half of the twentieth century and going beyond the current critical position focused on electoral principles and institutions. It was possible to conclude, based on the analysis of theoretical materials, that in order to properly assess modern liberal democracy, it is necessary to consider, in addition to election procedures, its inherent interconnection of values, sociopolitical institutions, and economic principles of the welfare state. According to the authors, the clearest manifestation of this link can be traced through the category of social trust. It is revealed as a unique unity of concepts of institutionalization of distrust by P. Sztompka and postmaterialistic values by R. Inglehart, on the basis of which the concept of the article is developed.