ABSTRACT

Professor Onora O’Neill (2002) has used a quote to emphasize a point about trust:

Confucius told his disciple Tsze-kung that three things are needed for government: weapons, food and trust. If a ruler can’t hold on to all three, he should give up the weapons first and the food next. Trust should be guarded to the end: “without trust we cannot stand”. Confucius’ thought still convinces.

Professor O’Neill emphasized the way that trust is slipping away in society. The fifth Reith 2003 lecture focused on information technology and particularly the media. Her point was that press freedom is essential for democracy and therefore it is crucial for the media to have robust standards as otherwise trust will be dissipated. This chapter points to where trust is undermined by poor reportage, in a way which might also make the public doubt the Fairtrade system.