Note: This article was published in the March 17-23 Issue of New Europe. You can find it here on page 11 http://de.scribd.com/doc/130902117/New-Europe-Print-Edition-Issue-1022
Trust is everybody’s business – or at least it
should be.
Trust is the foundation for an effective society.
At a basic level, we trust that we will wake up in the morning. We trust that the
sidewalk we walk on will not give way! We trust that the post will be
delivered, that we’ll get what we order in restaurants, that the airline pilot
will land the plane safely. We trust that others will do their jobs so that we
can continue leading productive, happy lives.
In a similar act of faith, we trust that
governments will repay their debts, and hence, we are willing to lend them more
money. We believe that our paper currency is worth something. Businesses run on
the conviction that they will be able to procure the raw materials they
require, and through careful planning and data analysis, they expect that
consumers will want their products. Trust enables individuals to
do business with each other. Business creates wealth. To reiterate - the
economy runs on trust.
Authoritative research by Douglass North,
Paul Keefer, Stephen Knack, and Paul Zak, among others, demonstrates that the
presence or lack of trust has profound consequences for the development of
public institutions. Where trust is present, it has a stabilizing effect on
expectations, and people are more likely to adhere to their commitments. Norms are accordingly respected at the
societal level, to the extent that when these norms are breached, sanctions are
enforced. Francis Fukayama has noted that trust reduces the cost of
transactions, as individuals need to spend time and effort to investigate the
genuineness of other parties’ stated intentions. As a result, societies that
have higher trust levels are more prosperous.[1]
Trust can not only help a nation become prosperous,
it can also strengthen individual success and promote happiness. Suppose we trusted
no one, would it be possible for us to continue to live complete, fulfilled lives?
So how do we inculcate trust in ourselves, in
those around us, and in our societies?
A good place to begin is within oneself. The
ancient Hindu scriptures state, “Yatha
Drishti, Tatha Srishti”; “as one’s vision, so is the creation.” To create
an atmosphere of trust, one needs to be aware of what is happening in the world
within. As the spiritual Guru, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “When we are able to
perceive, and observe our environment with greater clarity, then we are able to
see how interconnected life on this planet is. We are able to make connections
that we might not have seen earlier. So a first step to creating a beautiful
society on this planet is achieving clarity of mind.” Meditation, Yoga, and
breathing techniques can help calm the mind and bring clarity of thought. Awareness
of our thoughts and emotions can temper our behavior and interaction with
people around us. Self-awareness can also help us grow in terms of our own
abilities and our confidence to be successful in our efforts.
The next step is to earn the trust of others
– to encourage them to have faith in us. By committing ourselves to be
trustworthy, we must be able to “walk the talk” and put ourselves in others’
shoes. Consistency in action, and empathy are important. When people see that
we understand their point of view, and are willing to work with them towards a
solution, they are more likely to trust us, and then to collaborate with us to
achieve common goals. Being in a calm and clear state of mind can strengthen
our ability to appreciate and understand others’ points of view.
In some societies, a lack of trust – among
individuals, or between people and their government – has triggered change, in
some cases fundamental transformations of the relationship between government
and society, toward the achievement of more public trust. All too often, however, change is stymied by turmoil
and bloodshed. Fragile and post-conflict states are plagued by the lack of
trust – in institutions, and between people. Douglass North writes,
“The inability of societies to develop effective,
low-cost enforcement of contracts is the most important source of both
historical stagnation and contemporary underdevelopment in the Third World.”[2]
The World Bank and the United Nations have highlighted the need for
“confidence-building-measures” in rebuilding conflict-afflicted societies in
recent reports.[3]
The need of the hour is for society to refocus
on building trust and revive the human values of compassion, friendliness, and
love. A practical way of complementing institutional approaches is through
meditation and self-reflection.
After all, trust is everybody’s business.
[1] See Francis Fukuyama, Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation
of Prosperity, Touchstone Books, 1996.
[2] See Douglass North, Institutions, Institutional Change and
Economic Performance, Cambridge University Press, 1990, P.54.
[3] See World Bank, World Development Report 2011,
Washington DC, 2011. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWDRS/Resources/WDR2011_Overview.pdf http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/chronicle/home/archive/issues2011/7billionpeople1unitednations/dilemmaofdemcratizationinfragilestates
