Moreover, in the context of great differences in personal power, distrust is malignant. I cannot trust the egoistic Henry VIII, and therefore I cannot trust anyone else at court much either, because they might use anything I say or do to undercut me with Henry, to my great peril. Indeed, I may merely not trust Henry while actively distrusting my fellow courtiers. Henry need have no competitive interest with me, but my fellow courtiers do.

Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, loc. 482