Trust in the Database

Most people in the US live in a high trust world, where it's easy and reasonable to trust that intermediaries who run our lives will behave properly. But not everyone everywhere lives like that; even in the US, trust can be fragile. There are banks you can't trust to hold your money for you, and places where you can’t trust the rule of law to regulate them. Even if your bank has an absolutely unblemished record of keeping track of your money, that might not be good enough for you. Your bank is, to you, a black box. How do I know you'll give me my money back? You could ask the bank. Part B,