What is meant by a high-trust society?
A high trust society is one where a majority of adults believe that most people can be trusted, even strangers they have never met. In the Integrated Values Surveys data, only 9 of 91 countries cross the 50% threshold, led by Denmark at 73.9%, Norway at 72.1% and Finland at 68.4%. The concept goes beyond good feelings: according to World Population Review, in high trust societies people follow rules, pay taxes and believe others will do the same, creating what it describes as a powerful ripple effect across institutions, business and daily life.4
The opposite, a low trust society, is one where suspicion is the default. In Brazil, only 6.5% of adults say most people can be trusted; in Peru the figure is 4.2%. World Population Review notes that in such settings citizens are less likely to pay taxes, follow laws or participate civically, making mistrust self-reinforcing.4 The map here captures that spectrum across 91 countries, using the share of adults who answered yes to a single survey question about trust in others.
Why do Nordic countries like Denmark and Norway trust each other so much?
Several factors are commonly linked to the high levels of trust in others seen in Denmark, Norway and Finland. World Population Review points to transparent public services, strong civic engagement and low corruption as forces that maintain what it calls a cycle of trust in those countries, noting they also see high voter turnout, low crime rates and some of the world's happiest citizens.4
Economically, World Population Review cites OECD data showing that high trust nations have better business climates, stronger GDP per capita and higher social mobility.4 It also notes that Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the largest in the world, is made possible not just by oil revenues but by high public trust in long-term governance and fiscal restraint.4 The chart data reflect survey responses collected between 2017 and 2022, so some country figures predate the pandemic and some follow it, which limits direct comparisons.
Is the USA a high-trust society?
The US is not a high trust society by the measure used here: at 37.0%, it ranks 18th of 91 countries, well below the 50% threshold that only 9 countries clear, and roughly half the level of Denmark (73.9%). World Population Review describes the United States as a country that was once considered a high trust society but has seen a dramatic decline in civic faith over the past five decades, with trust in the federal government dropping from over 70% in the 1960s to around 20% today, according to Pew Research figures it cites.4
Social trust, meaning belief in the honesty of strangers, has also fallen. World Population Review notes that in 1973 nearly half of Americans said most people can be trusted, against a figure closer to 30% in more recent data it references.4 The chart here puts the current figure at 37.0%, though a 2025 Pew Research Center poll using a differently worded question put it at 55%, illustrating how much survey design can affect the result. Trust in local communities and neighbors remains relatively stronger than trust in national institutions, where the Weidenbaum Center Survey found only 17% to 20% of Americans trusted the federal government to do what is right most or all of the time between May 2025 and March 2026.2
What do researchers say social trust does to democracy?
Researchers see social trust as a foundation for functioning democratic institutions, though the relationship is difficult to untangle.
Shin also finds that political trust shapes how citizens engage: voter turnout, vote choice, policy preferences and compliance with rules are all associated with levels of trust.2 Kristina Harrison of Indiana University's Kelley School of Business frames the stakes in brand terms, arguing that democracy functions as a master brand built around representation, political voice, legitimate elections and institutional accountability, and that the danger arises when a candidate's personal brand becomes more powerful than the democratic brand itself.3 Pruszynski warns that when political actors systematically chip away at trust, the foundations of the entire structure weaken and risk collapse.1
Can a country rebuild social trust once it has been lost?
Rebuilding social trust after it has been lost is possible but slow, according to World Population Review, which says it requires transparency, accountability and time.4 It points to Estonia as a case study: once associated with corruption, the country became a digital governance pioneer, with transparent e-services and citizen access to data helping to restore public confidence.4
World Population Review also notes that in Latin America, younger generations are demanding more transparency and driving movements for judicial reform, anti-corruption measures and participatory budgeting, suggesting that civic pressure can begin to shift trust over time.4 In the US context, Pruszynski argues that years of deliberate trust-undermining by political actors have left a large share of voters unsure where to turn, implying that recovery would require sustained good-faith effort rather than a quick fix.1 The chart's data, collected between 2017 and 2022, cannot show whether any country's trust level has moved since then.