I was reading an article, and my mind started to wonder. So instead of taking normal notes I wrote this:
'You don't trust anyone do you?' France asked, as he poked England's arm.
'Stop it France,' England snared before continuing, 'of course I do. Have you been reading Trust Theory in International Relations by any chance?'
'I have indeed. And according to many scholars* you don't trust anyone. See, they think trust means to open yourself to vulnerability. And you suck at that!' France said, not caring if some of the other countries listened in.
They were all having lunch, and they could hear some heated discussions in Spanish from the other side of the room as Latin America had a little gathering for themselves; a little family domestic by the sound of it. England had been in that pickle with the commonwealth too, though it always sounded passive aggressive in his case.
But, back to the matter at hand. Trust as vulnerability!? Oh tut!
'Ah, but you forget some scholars think it's all about hedging*. If you don't remember, let me explain. Let's say we make an agreement, but then, since I don't trust you completely to hold up your end of the bargain, I also buy a few new tanks and a couple of drones for insurance,' Arthur lectured the other.
He continued, 'However, I do have many countries I trust. I don't enter an agreement with Alfred and then place some missiles pointing at him in the West Indies. And my nuclear weapons mean very different things for you than for the Middle East or North Korea. Or America's weapons meant very different things to us than to Russia during the cold war'.
France raised an eyebrow, 'To be fair, America is armed to the teeth. So, if he wanted to turn on you, you'd be screwed' he noted.
'Well. I trust him. My people trust his people. A war is unthinkable, and the weapons aren't for me,' Arthur said a bit too defensively.
'But you do need to be willing to be vulnerable to trust others' France tried again.
'France, if this goes back to romance again I swear I will...'
'Non! But a willingness to appear vulnerable might get you friends so you can enter into a trusting relationship in the first place', France - the ever self-declared love expert - told him.
'I already have friends! I may not roll around in front of Alfred, but I still trust him!'
That can be argued, France though to himself sometimes it's obvious you're trying to please. Out loud he said, 'But you have been to war with him before, it could happen again, non?'
'That is where trust theories comes in. We're friends and allies. But, if you do feel vulnerable, that is surely the opposite of feeling trust right? Shouldn't trust take away the vulnerability? I'd say trust is built over a long period of time, a long historical process, initially probably involving hedges!'
'Hm… that might be true,' France said thoughtfully.
'I suppose one could look at statements made by politicians, diplomats, and even what I say to you can be used as a reference', Arthur suggested thoughtfully.
'Yes, but maybe you're just pretending to love me!' France exclaimed melodramatically. 'Political language is all scripted and for a purpose. It's not true love!' he joked.
'Trust is about flirting with other countries though, flattering them, and working together as a team,' Francis said dreamily.
England shrugged.
'No, trust isn't just cooperation either. If you are saying to me that Norway and New Zealand don't trust each other because they don't work together much, that sounds absolutely ridiculous'.
They stared at each other.
'You were just bored right?' Arthur eyed the other. He'd like to get back to Harry Potter for a bit before the meeting started again.
'What this all boils down to Angleterre, is that if we had one of those stupid trust building exercises none of us would trust the other enough so we'd actually let ourselves fall,' France laughed.
Maybe he would let England fall to the ground for the fun of it, but they both knew that when it came down to it, and it really mattered, they did trust each other and they would never really let each other fall. All theories and academic waffle aside.
So. These are my notes from reading an article. I honestly don't expect anyone to read it, but it's nice to post it anyway x)
*See for instance Hoffman, Booth and Wheeler
* Keating and Ruzicka, 2012 article