Understanding the invisible force that makes society possible

In our hyperconnected and increasingly polarised world, we often hear about the “breakdown of trust” in institutions, communities, and relationships. But what exactly is trust, and why does it matter? The answer lies in thinking of trust as the invisible structure that makes all human cooperation possible—from intimate relationships to global economies.

Trust isn’t just a nice-to-have quality that makes life more pleasant. It’s the fundamental foundation upon which all sustainable human ecosystems are built (Putnam, 2000). Without it, society as we know it simply cannot function. As sociologist Francis Fukuyama puts it, trust serves as the “glue that holds society together” (Fukuyama, 1995).

At its core, trust is the willingness to be vulnerable to others while expecting they will act in good faith (Mayer, Davis & Schoorman, 1995). This definition reveals something profound: trust always involves risk. When we trust someone, we’re betting that they won’t take advantage of our vulnerability.

This gamble might seem foolish, but it’s actually what makes human civilisation possible. Every time we board a plane, we trust the pilot and maintenance crew. Every time you eat at a restaurant, you trust the chef and food inspectors. Every time we use money, we trust that others will accept it in exchange for goods and services. Our entire society is built on countless circles of trust that overlap and interconnect to enable our physical and cyber worlds.

Trust isn’t a modern invention—it has ancient biological and psychological foundations that reveal why it’s so central to human nature.

Trust has deep evolutionary roots that stretch back millions of years. Research on social bonding in primates shows that close relationships enhance survival—for example, female baboons with strong social bonds have offspring with better survival rates (Silk, Alberts & Altmann, 2003). Our brains are wired for trust, with neurobiological systems including oxytocin pathways that facilitate bonding and cooperative behaviour (Zak, 2012).

From an evolutionary game theory perspective, trust and trustworthiness can emerge and flourish when individuals interact repeatedly and can build reputations over time (Axelrod, 1984). This suggests that our capacity for trust evolved because it provided survival advantages to our ancestors.

Perhaps nowhere is trust more crucial than in human development. Psychologist Erik Erikson identified basic trust versus mistrust as the very first stage of human psychological development, occurring in the first 18 months of life (Erikson, 1963).

During this critical period, infants learn whether the world is a safe, predictable place based on how consistently their caregivers respond to their needs. This early experience of trust—or its absence—shapes our capacity for relationships throughout our entire lives. Children who develop secure attachment through consistent, responsive care carry this foundation of trust into all their future relationships (Bowlby, 1969).

Understanding trust’s mechanics reveals why it’s so powerful yet fragile.

Trust operates through reciprocity—the exchange of benefits that sustains social systems. Direct reciprocity involves immediate exchanges: “I help you, you help me.” But more interesting is indirect reciprocity, which relies on reputation: I help you, and others observe this, making them more likely to help me later (Nowak & Sigmund, 2005).

This reputation system is what allows trust to scale beyond small groups. When we can track who is trustworthy and who isn’t, cooperation becomes possible even among strangers.

Research has identified specific elements that build trust in relationships: consistency, transparency, empathy, and responsiveness (Lewicki & Bunker, 1996). These aren’t abstract concepts—they’re practical behaviours anyone can cultivate.

Consistency means your actions match your words over time. Transparency involves sharing relevant information and admitting mistakes. Empathy requires understanding and caring about others’ perspectives and needs. Responsiveness means acting on that understanding in ways that benefit others.

Just as physical infrastructure like roads and bridges enables commerce and connection, trust serves as social infrastructure that makes complex cooperation possible.

Dense, interconnected social networks promote trust through repeated interactions and mutual accountability (Coleman, 1990). Think about how trust operates differently in a small town where everyone knows everyone, versus a large city where most interactions are with strangers.

Smaller, more homogeneous communities often maintain stronger baseline trust levels (Putnam, 2000). This doesn’t mean diversity is bad for trust, but it does mean that building trust across differences requires more intentional effort.

Trust also underpins the implicit agreements between citizens and governing institutions that we call the “social contract” (Rousseau, 1762). This includes both vertical trust (between citizens and institutions) and horizontal trust (among community members) (Uslaner, 2002).

When institutional trust is high, societies can tackle complex challenges more effectively. When it’s low, even basic governance becomes difficult. This is why declining trust in institutions—from government to media to science—poses such a significant threat to democratic societies.

In our hyperconnected world, trust isn’t just morally important—it’s economically essential. High-trust societies have lower transaction costs, more innovation, greater resilience during crises, and better collective problem-solving abilities (OECD, 2017).

Consider the difference between doing business in a high-trust environment versus a low-trust one. In high-trust settings, agreements can be made with handshakes, contracts are shorter and simpler, and resources go toward productive activities rather than monitoring and enforcement. In low-trust environments, everything takes longer, costs more, and requires elaborate safeguards.

The good news is that trust isn’t fixed—it can be built, rebuilt, and strengthened through action. Whether in personal relationships, organisations, or communities, the principles remain consistent: demonstrate reliability, practice transparency, show genuine care for others’ welfare, and follow through on commitments.

The bad news is that trust is fragile and can easily be broken either through a significant event (think a cyber breach or unwanted news story) or through the gradual chipping away at its foundations. Either way, building it back is a long and arduous path.

As we face global challenges that require unprecedented cooperation—especially in the world of AI technological governance—our ability to build and maintain trust across differences will determine our success. Understanding trust not as a soft skill but as a fundamental social infrastructure is the first step toward creating more resilient, cooperative, and flourishing human communities.

Trust might be invisible, but its presence (or absence) shapes everything else. By recognising its central role in our world and actively working to cultivate it, we can build the foundation for a positive and abundant future.

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