I read and blather about "The Economics of the Gift", an essay I wrote for an interdisciplinary conference and book on "Gift Giving and the 'Embedded Economy' in the ancient world". 

Part of a planned multi-part series on "reading old stuff I wrote and seeing how much I cringe". 

Full essay is HERE

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- EA forum post: seeing the effects of your donation

From the essay abstract:

1. Commercial transactions sustained by reputation are not easily distinguishable from gift exchange economies;

2. Gift-giving allows the giver to accumulate goods that cannot be purchased commercially;

3. When the giver retains some use, experience, or control over the gift, she shares in the consumption of it;

4. Considering behavioural issues such as regret aversion, gift-giving may offer overlooked efficiencies that may balance out the deadweight losses from ‘inadequate gifts’;

5. Aggregate (anonymous) giving can be an important signal of overall group identity and character;

6. Historical modes of ‘giving under pressure’ offer insights for modern public policy and philanthropy