Quote:
Originally Posted by nekokami
I think another reasonable question is: does the honor system have a different sociological impact than the ticket system used in NYC and elsewhere?
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Generally, a society can function more smoothly, and cheaply, when there is overall trust, because trust allows a society to "relax" in terms of efforts to maintain order and security. If there is too much violation of trust, a society must put up additional defenses. This not only costs more, but it tends to upset people who feel "put upon" by the extra security (and the sometimes passed-on cost), which can actually encourage more dishonesty with the more disgruntled people.
On the other hand, fear of punishment can be as effective a deterrent against violating trust, and can cause a society to run just as smoothly (albeit out of fear of reprisal). But if this is taken too far, you risk additional upset and stress in people, which could be even less advantageous than loss due to distrust.
</channeling my sociology studies>