<p>Given the recent challenges to Ghana’s democratic practices, this study aims to reassess the key factors that prevent corruption and enhance social trust within Ghana’s democratic culture. Using a mixed-methods approach to assess data collected in 2024, the results indicate that leadership, rules and regulations, and the fear of punishment have a significant impact on reducing corruption, whereas citizens’ training has no significant effect. Among these, fear of retribution is found to be the most critical in preventing corruption. Furthermore, the study establishes that freedom of expression does not have a positive effect on social trust in democratic cultures, while civil society organizations (CSOs) do positively affect social trust. Additionally, the study establishes that corruption has a negative and statistically significant impact on social trust, indicating a need to implement robust anti-corruption measures. The implication of this study is that anti-corruption strategies moderate the relationship between the impact of CSOs and social trust, which supports the need for effective institutions. CSOs in Ghana have helped advance the accountability of political processes through election observation, thereby strengthening their role in promoting democratic management. To combat corruption and boost social trust in developing democracies, it is essential to adhere to strict anti-corruption policies, enforce robust laws, and promote transparency, as well as impose severe penalties for corrupt activities, while fostering local civil society interaction with international civil society organizations.</p>