This paper looks at how system legitimacy is generated through interactions between citizens and institutions. In particular, it compares the effect of general opinions about levels of corruption with the effect of experience-based evaluations of public service providers. By applying a SEM to a unique Polish dataset it links performance evaluations with confidence in political and public institutions, and with citizens’ acts of consent. Findings call for a refinement of existing theories attributing system legitimacy predominantly to “trust in government”, as our results show that experience-based evaluations of public service providers constitute the most important factor determining legitimating beliefs, which in turn stimulate citizens'' acts of consent, such as voting or tax compliance.
