Trust is not an abstract virtue — it is a core variable in institutional performance, market coordination, and social stability. Yet across both public and private domains, it is under acute strain. Surveys show rising grievance, declining confidence in leadership, and a growing suspicion that institutions serve narrow interests rather than the common good.
In financial markets, where trust is foundational to system function, these pressures are particularly destabilizing. This section examines the global landscape of trust, drawing from new data and sectoral case studies. The signal is uneven but unmistakable: reputational capital is increasingly volatile, and traditional sources of legitimacy — proceduralistic authority — are no longer sufficient. The terms on which trust is granted are evolving.
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