Radius of Trust

Discussion

According to Maurizio Lazzarato, source unknown. From the reading notes of Michel Bauwens, 2006:

The radius of trust is the circle of people amongst whom cooperative norms are operative. Traditional societies usually have a narrow radius of trust, in segmentary communities, marked by an absence of 'weak ties'. The economic function of social capital is to reduce transaction costs of coordination mechanisms. In this context, social capital is a requirement for civil society, without which there would be no democracy; low levels of social capital create a stronger state. (??)

A limited radius (good behavior limited to the family f.e.) of social capital creates corrupt societies. Sources of social capita can be bottom-up, f.e. by iteration of the Prisoner's Dilemma (enligthened self-interest), or can be top down, by the imposition of norms (Confucianism).