After traveling for years, I often wonder how various cultures end up high or low trust. Wealth or financial inequality doesn't seem to be the main driving factor, despite seeming an obvious cause. Racial and ethnic homogeneity doesn't always explain it either.

Destruction of traditional culture by things like colonialism seems to be an important factor.

> Destruction of traditional culture by things like colonialism seems to be an important factor.

Were native peoples of North America high trust between tribes before colonialism?

I'm not that familiar with them, but my guess would be yes, at least for hunter-gatherers. I would think that bad behavior would get you kicked out of the community and lead to likely death.

The larger ancient cities that farmed would be more interesting, especially because today Latin America is one of the lowest trust regions of the world.

Colonialism is turning the UK into a low trust society?

I didn't suggest it was the only factor. I guess if you want a single explanation, any significant immigration or influence from a vastly different culture will likely lead to a lower trust society.

Agreed.

Agreed, points well made. I think an ordered society with long-term stability has much to do with it.

If there are consequences to bad behavior which results in real, felt, shame, then society will self-police to whatever values it holds. However, there can be downsides; for instance a lack of out-of-the-box thinking and individuality.

>for instance a lack of out-of-the-box thinking and individuality.

Overrated. There's close to 0% of it going on in "low trust societies" anyway. It's not like the average social media zombie in the west is anywhere near an "out of the box" thinker...