Final answer:
A continuum from low to high trust in types of exchanges would start with market exchange, move to functional relationship, and end with strategic partnership, which reflects increasing levels of trust from impersonal transactions to long-term commitments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about a continuum representing levels of trust in different types of exchanges that can occur in capitalist societies. Trust is foundational in determining the nature of the relationships between parties engaging in exchange. At the low end of the trust spectrum, we have market exchange, where transactions are quick, impersonal, and often purely based on the desire to maximize one's gain. Market exchange represents a setting where participants are relatively unencumbered by future obligations to each other.
Moving up the trust continuum, we reach the functional relationship. This kind of relationship is more interconnected than market exchanges. It's common between friends or acquaintances, where exchanges are guided by an expectation of mutual benefit and an unspoken balance in reciprocity. An example is asking a favor from a neighbor with the anticipation that they might ask for a similar favor in the future.
At the high end of the continuum is the strategic partnership. This type of exchange involves a high level of trust because the parties are engaged in a long-term relationship with significant mutual commitment and investment.
Thus, the correct option that represents a continuum from low to high trust is C. Market exchange, functional relationship, strategic partnership.