本文認為孔子所提出的信，是處理人與人的關係的基本準則，它是忠的表現，與忠密切聯繫著；它是第二層次的道德規範，但又是最基本的道德規範，是其它道德規範實現的保證；它是社會群體生活的保證，更是政治領域的準則，是行政人員必備的品質。孔子提出信這一規範，是春秋時期政治經濟發展的反 映，特別是商品經濟發展的結果。信這一道德規範，不但在當時具有進步性，而且具有社會的永恆性。現代社會是高度民主的社會，有高度講信用的政府；現代社會又是商品經濟發展的社會，是法制的社會，是信息的社會，因此更必須講究信，更必須發揮它的作用。

This paper claims that Trust, proposed by Confucius, is the fundamental principle of interpersonal relationships and the expression of faithfulness. Trust is the higher but basic moral norm and guarantees the realization of other moral norms; it is the foundation of public life, the principle of the political society, and the prerequisite quality of an administrator. Trust is the reflection of Chun Qiu Period and particularly the result of the development of commodity economics. This moral norm is not only progressive at that time but also socially unchangeable. Modern democratic society, with a government that values Trust highly, is a society of economics, and information. It is a society governed by law. Therefore the idea of Trust must be held in high esteem, and be more exploitive.