High-trust and low-trust societies

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A low trust society is defined as one in which interpersonal trust is relatively low, and which do not have shared ethical values.[1]

Popular culture

Freakonomics Radio did an episode in 2016 on trust in societies.[2] The episode cites research by David Halpern, Robert Putnam (author of Bowling Alone) and Ed Glaeser.

Institutions and mechanisms

According to researchers, low trust societies are typically kinship based;[1] outcomes of low trust societies can include difficulty in forming and maintaining corporate structures.[3] Mechanisms and institutions that are corrupted, dysfunctional, or absent in low-trust societies include respect for private property rights, a trusted civil court system, democratic voting and acceptance of electoral outcomes, and voluntary tax payment.[4] Research has identified a correlation between individualism with high-trust societies, and collectivism with low-trust cultures.[5]

Self governance

High-trust societies display a high degree of mutual trust not imposed by outside "contractual, legal or hierarchical regulation", but instead are based upon "prior moral consensus".[1] Much writing on the subject refers to Francis Fukuyama's 1995 book, Trust: Social Virtues and Creation of Prosperity, in which he describes "the ability of various peoples to organize effectively for commercial purposes without relying on blood ties or government intervention".[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c Natale, Hoffman & Hayward 1998, p. 35.
  2. ^ "Trust Me". Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  3. ^ Govier 1997, p. 132.
  4. ^ Rose 2011, p. 196.
  5. ^ Hopkins 2012, p. 120.
  6. ^ TRUST by Francis Fukuyama.

Sources