This document discusses government performance and trust in government using data from the Gallup World Poll. It finds that confidence in national governments declined between 2007 and 2012 in many countries. Citizens remain satisfied with public services. There is a strong correlation between confidence in government and perceptions of government corruption - countries with lower perceived corruption have higher trust in government. Investing in education is cost-effective, with tertiary education resulting in a social net present value of $37,984 per person and upper secondary education resulting in $104,737.

1. GOVERNMENT AT A
GLANCE 2013

2. THE IMPACT OF THE CRISIS

3. Governments losing trust
Confidence in national government in 2012 and its change since 2007
% in 2012 (right axis)
Percentage points
100
Percentage point change 2007-2012 (left axis)
%
100
90
90
80
80
70
70
60
60
50
50
40
40
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
-10
-10
-20
-20
-30
-30
-40
-40
Source: Gallup World Poll

4. Citizens are satisfied with public
services
Confidence and satisfaction across government institutions (2012)
Source: Gallup World Poll

5. INTEGRITY AND
GOVERNMENT
PERFORMANCE MATTER

6. Trust and corruption
Correlation: confidence in national government and perception
of government corruption (2012)
%
100
CZE
GRC
PRT
90
R² = 0.80
KOR
ESP ISR
HUN
USA
SVN
POL
SVK
ISL
AUT
JPN
CHL
OECD BEL
EST
MEX
IRL
FRA
DEU
80
Government corruption
ITA
70
60
50
TUR
CAN
GBR
40
30
AUS
NLD
NOR
FIN
NZL
20
DNK
10
LUX
CHE
SWE
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Confidence in national government
Source: Gallup World Poll
70
80
90
100
%

7. Efficiency of tax administrations
Cost of collection ratios of tax administrations 2008 and 2011
%
3.5
3.0
2.5
2011
2008
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
Source: OECD (2013), Tax Administration 2013: Comparative Information on OECD and other Advanced and Emerging Economies,

8. Why is it worthwhile to invest in education?
Cost-effectiveness
Upper or post-secondary
non-tertiary education
Tertiary education
Average public net present value of obtaining higher education as part of initial education
(2009 or latest available year)
Total Benefits
144,226
Total Costs
39,489
Social net present value
104,737
Total Benefits
65,994
Total Costs
28,010
Social net present value
37,984
0
40,000
80,000
120,000
USD converted using PPP
Source: OECD, EAG 2012. See Annex 3 for notes (www.oecd.org/edu/eag.htm).
160,000

9. Thank you!