We present a theoretical framework that links trust, trustworthiness and inequality. It is assumed that an individual's level of interpersonal trust is related to expected trustworthiness among his reference group and that trustworthiness decreases when interpersonal income differences increase....

This paper studies the impact of income inequality on trust from a theoretical and an empirical perspective. The model is built on the assumption that trust (defined as expected trustworthiness) is influenced by individual perceptions of inequality. These perceptions might have a social and a...