Mutual Interest, Self-enforcing Constitutions and Apparent Generosity

Alessandro Cigno and Furio Rosati

Chapter 12 in The Economics of Reciprocity, Giving and Altruism, 2000, pp 226-247 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract We say that a person is an altruist if all they obtain doing something for others is the pleasure of making those others happy. We do not call it altruism, however, when a person expects a reward for doing something (or fears punishment for not doing it). If the link between giving and taking is direct and explicit, we speak of exchange. But, very often in human relations, the link between giving and taking is implicit and unspoken, and the quid pro quo so distant and indirect that what one does for others has all the appearance of a gift, or a free service.

Date: 2000
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DOI: 10.1007/978-1-349-62745-5_12

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