Trust trumps fear

When the coronavirus emergency is over, the extent to which life will have changed will depend on the length of the disruption, the number of lives it took and the way each country and transnational organization dealt with the crisis.

The day after will depend on the level of trust that exists between citizen and state, between countries.

Fear undermines our trust in everything that we considered a given, opening the way to change. Yet, just as faith trumps fear, if we establish confidence in institutions and individuals we will have the strength to fight today and will establish tomorrow's foundations for society, the economy and politics. 

Trust depends on whether our need for security and stability is met. This demands full and frank information, stable yet flexible government policies, scientific and operational capabilities, and real contact between...