Farmers' Cooperative Behavior And Trust: Social Capital-based Perspective

The essay analyzes the current condition of human trust among people in Village S by means of questionnaire and interview. After studying the forming of trust methodology ,the strengthening or lessening of trust, and the break or maintenance of trust relationship, the essay researches the interrelationship between trust—an important index of social capital—and the cooperative actions of two parts or small groups. The current condition of human trust in Village S has the following characteristics. (1) Trust of blood relationship is losing dominant role gradually. (2) The degree of trust among the villagers is deceasing and radius of trust is shortening. (3) Different individual has different view toward the trust. (4) The level of trust is deceasing between cadres and the masses. And the conclusion is: trust always plays an essential role when farmers want to cooperate with others both in the past and now. And their action proves the "concentric-circles pattern of communication" of the rural community" put forward to by Mr. Fei Xiaotong. The only difference is that the components of the core layer in the structure moved from the pure intimate family members to "those who can be trusted", at a new group of people. During the cooperation, trust can promote further cooperation, showing its productive function; and meanwhile cooperation can deepen the state of trust, meanwhile good cooperation makes people feel others more reliable. Otherwise, the chain of "cooperation-trust-next cooperation" will break. So when trust can be properly used, it can improve the efficiency of the social cooperation in a large range, on the contrary, when it is misused , it can conflict with community and lead to the deficiency of social cooperation in a larger range. After the cooperation, the change in the degree of trust will have effects on their future cooperation.Cooperation plays an active role in increasing the farmers' income and improves their independent role in market economy, and trust is an indispensable part in...