Public trust stands as a cornerstone for the successful operation of the public sector. Its absence poses a threat to the legitimacy of governmental institutions. Through an exploration of the three historical periods, one can gain valuable insights into citizen responses, the impacts on governance, and the overall legitimacy of the public sector. Drawing from annual public trust data maintained by the Pew Research Center, the lowest periods of government trust coincide with distinct historical epochs: the Vietnam War/Woodstock era in the 1960s-70s, the politicization of climate change in the 1990s, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the 2020s.

Each substantial plummet in government trust aligns with a distinctive societal response, a “return to the land”, manifesting as a form of social activism driven by the quest for autonomy, independent of government oversight. In the ’60s-’70s, this manifested as the back-to-the-land movement; the ’90s witnessed a notable surge in urban homesteading, while the contemporary era ushered in a resurgence of the back-to-the-land movement, often dubbed modern homesteading. This recurrent pattern in the face of dwindling government trust offers insights into the consequences of diminished trust on governance effectiveness and the overall legitimacy of the public sector. Using qualitative interviews, this study seeks to compare motivations, analyze patterns, and ultimately identify bridges to improving trust in rural communities.