On minimal morals

Gebhard Kirchgässner

European Journal of Political Economy, 2010, vol. 26, issue 3, 330-339

Abstract: I define and classify moral (or altruistic) behaviour and discuss the necessity of moral behaviour for the functioning of a market economic and a democratic political order. I also evaluate claims that moral behaviour is unnecessary. Moral behaviour can only be stable if certain conditions hold, including most importantly that moral requirements for citizens not be too high; only a minimum standard of morality can be demanded if many citizens are expected to comply. Finally, I point to some problems of relying on moral behaviour.

Keywords: Moral; behaviour; Intrinsic; motivation; Voluntary; contribution; to; public; goods; Low-cost; decisions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:poleco:v:26:y:2010:i:3:p:330-339

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