CRISIS OF TRUST IN STATE AUTHORITY AS A FACTOR OF THE REVOLUTION OF DIGNITY IN WESTERN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article analyzes the crisis of trust in state authorities in Western Ukraine in 2010–2013 as one of the key factors of the Revolution of Dignity. It is argued that the revolutionary events of 2013–2014 were not merely a reaction to specific political decisions or the events of November 2013, but rather the outcome of a long-term process of delegitimization of state institutions. Particular attention is paid to the regional dimension of this crisis, focusing on Western Ukraine, which was characterized by a high level of civic activity, strong pro-European value orientations, and a consistently critical attitude toward the central government. The methodological framework is based on the interpretation of the crisis of trust as a historical process of institutional delegitimization through the conceptual lens of political trust/legitimacy; the empirical basis consists of sociological surveys and monitoring data from 2010–2013, treated as historical sources.
The study examines the political situation in Western Ukraine during the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, analyzing the results of the 2010 presidential election and the formation of political distance between the region and central authorities. The main causes of declining trust in state institutions are identified, including systemic corruption, selective justice, repressive practices of law enforcement agencies, and the language policy implemented in 2012. Special emphasis is placed on the interpretation of sociological surveys as historical sources, which make it possible to trace the dynamics of declining trust in the president, government, parliament, courts, and law enforcement bodies in the Western Ukrainian region.
The article also explores the role of alternative centers of public trust, such as the church, civic organizations, local communities, and informal networks of solidarity. In the context of the delegitimization of state power, these actors increasingly performed the functions of moral authority and social support. The study concludes that the crisis of trust in state authorities did not result in political apathy; on the contrary, it stimulated civic engagement and readiness for protest mobilization. It is demonstrated that Western Ukraine was one of the regions where the preconditions for the Revolution of Dignity had been formed well before November 2013, which explains the rapid spread, large scale, and sustainability of protest actions during the revolutionary period.