Political Science Quarterly: Spring 1987: The Confidence Gap during the Reagan Years, 1981-1987

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Volume 102 - Number 1 - Spring 1987

pp. 1-23

The Confidence Gap during the Reagan Years, 1981-1987
Seymour Martin Lipset and William Schneider renew their explorations of the feelings of Americans about their major institutions, first reported in this journal four years ago. The authors document the paradoxical findings that under a pro-business president who would sharply reduce the role of the state, the public has regained confidence in government, but continues to distrust major private institutions such as corporations and labor unions.

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