Nunn and Wantchekon bluntly assert that “the slave trade altered the cultural norms of the ethnic groups exposed to it, making them less trusting of others.” Moreover, they continue, “areas with low levels of trust have developed weaker institutions, and [their] weaker institutions in turn have resulted in worse behavior and still lower levels of trust. These societies remain trapped in an equilibrium of uncooperative behavior, mistrust and inefficient institutions.”
