The Journal of Culture Contents ISSN:2287-2256(Print) 2671-7026(Online) 문화콘텐츠연구

In this paper we empirically show that some aspect of trust shall facilitate free riders and we discuss positive meaning of free rider for community governance. Based on Uslaner’s conception of the moral foundation of trust, we introduce the concept of community trust. We assume that community trust works as the moral power that restricts free riders. In addition, however, by being incorporated into the threshold process, it would simultaneously facilitate free riders. After confirming the rational choice framework that consistently explains this contradictory aspect of community trust, we empirically explore how it in fact appears through data. At first, community trust indicates clear restricting effects on free riders, implying that it is closer to moral foundation of trust than general trust. At the same time, being coincide with the above-mentioned rational choice theory, community trust both facilitates and restricts free riders. In this contradictory situation we will find a multilayered composition of free riders that might function to preserve spare energy for producing local public goods when necessary.