printGenerational Shifts in Generalized Trust? Russia in the European Context
Almakaeva A.M.
Cand. Sci. (Sociol.), Head of the Centre for Comparative Research on Social Wellbeing, HSE University, Moscow, Russia aalmakaeva@hse.ru
The article is an output of HSE-BR-2025-52 research project implemented as part of the Basic Research Program at HSE University.
Almakaeva A.M. Generational Shifts in Generalized Trust? Russia in the European Context. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2026. No 10. P. 44-56
This article examines the dynamics of generalized trust in Russia between 2006 and 2024 and tests the hypothesis that generational replacement contributes to its change over time. The study is based on the R. Inglehart and C. Welzel’s theory of modernization and their argument about generational replacement as a key driver of value change. The analysis uses all available waves of the European Social Survey and the Russian Social Survey. Generalized trust is measured through a composite index based on three items: whether most people can be trusted, whether most people are fair, and whether people are generally willing to help one another. Generations are distinguished using V. Radaev’s typology, including his more recent distinction between older and younger millennials. In the European context, Russia consistently occupies an intermediate position throughout the observation period: Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden show the highest levels of trust, while Bulgaria ranks among the lowest. The findings reveal a stable upward trend in generalized trust in Russia which, in comparative perspective, is one of the most pronounced in Europe. The only noticeable downturn occurs in the tenth “COVID” wave collected in 2021; by 2024 trust levels have returned to their pre‑pandemic levels. The results show a weak increase in generalized trust both across the life course and among the youngest cohorts. Overall, the study shows that, even when compared to basic human values, generalized trust is an exceptionally stable phenomenon that evolves very slowly over time.
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