Globalization and Perceptions of Policy Maker Competence

Abstract

Does globalization affect perceptions of policy maker competence? Despite considerable attention to connections between globalization and policy efficacy, no research explores connections between the world economy and confidence in politicians. This article makes three novel arguments. First, by constraining administrative control over policy outcomes, economic globalization reduces levels of public confidence in national executives. Second, by signaling a more complex policy-making environment, exposure to world markets increases the volatility of policy maker evaluations. And third, economic openness affects public preferences over policy by shifting policy demands—away from domains constrained by market liberalization and toward areas where national autonomy remains strong. Time-series analyses of public opinion data from France support research expectations. As the first study to link economic globalization to policy perceptions, this article finds that the political consequences of engaging the global economy are more numerous than previously implied.