The parallel social economy, a fixture in the Mexican agricultural sector since the Revolution (1910-1920), has to a great extent now been dismantled by the state. Along with the inevitable costs that follow from such a transition, it also offers some opportunities for those in the social sector (known as ejidatarios ). Yet just at a time when ejidatarios most need to come together and work jointly for their common good, they find themselves faced with a socio-cultural heritage, itself largely a product of their historical relationship to the state, that makes it very difficult for them to extend trust and work cooperatively. Building on a theoretical framework that highlights the critical importance of trust and trust-building for economic advancement, my field work in Salvatierra, Mexico, offers evidence for this.