Whom can you trust these days? It is a question posed by David Halpern of Cambridge University, and the researchers at the Downing Street Strategy Unit who take an interest in "socialcapital". In intervals they go around asking people in assorted 1nations the question: "Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted?" The results are fascinated. The conclusion that leaps from the 2figures and into sensational headlines are that social dislocation, 3religious decline, public scandals, family fragmentation and thefear of crime have made us more trusting. Comparative surveys 4over 40 years suggest that British trustfulness had halved: in the 51950s 60 per cent of us answered "yes, most people can be trusted", in the 1980s 44 per cent, today only 29 per cent. Trust levels also continue to fall in Ireland and the US—meanwhile, the Norwegians, Swedes, Danes and Dutch express tremendousconfidence in one and another's honesty: levels are actually rising. 6In Mexico and Japan the level of trust is also increasing, that is 7interesting if mild bewildering. And the Palme d'Or(金棕榈奖) 8for mutual suspect goes to the Brazilians—with less than 3 9per cent replying "yes"—and the Turks with 6.5 per cent The French,apparently, never trusted each other and still don't. Nevertheless we 10become less Scandinavian and more French(or Turkish)every year.