Crisis Governance and Public Trust: Revealing the Chain Mediation Effect of Social Fairness and Well-Being

Trust in the government is crucial for crisis management and plays a pivotal role in shaping public compliance. This study explores how public preferences for either a more interventionist or a more limited government during crises influence changes in trust in the government. Using data from the 2021 China General Social Survey, we find that: (1) a positive correlation exists between public perceptions of government authority during crises and changes in trust in the government, (2) perceived social fairness and subjective well-being partially mediate this relationship, and (3) perceived social fairness and subjective well-being form a chain mediation pathway linking the public perceptions of government authority during crises with changes in trust in the government. This study provides insights into how perceptions of government authority during crises affect changes in trust in the government and identifies key factors that can allow governments to build and maintain public trust in a crisis context.