Americans care about how agreements are formed, not just what they contain. An agreement reached through fair process is legitimate; an agreement obtained through deception, pressure, or unfair dealing is tainted even if the terms seem reasonable. Fair process means that parties have adequate information about what they are agreeing to and that consent is genuinely voluntary. Americans expect honest disclosure, truthful representation, and dealing free from coercion.
Hard bargaining is acceptable, but deception is not. When making agreements with Americans, deal honestly and ensure that your counterpart understands what they are agreeing to. Agreements that later appear to have been obtained unfairly will be resented and may be challenged.
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