Fighting cheaters: How and how much to invest

• DOI: 10.1017/s0956792510000094
• Publication Date: 2010-04-21T13:56:54Z
• Authors: JUAN CARLOS NUÑO; MIGUEL ÁNGEL HERRERO; MARIO PRIMICERIO
• Keywords: Selfishness

Human societies are formed by different socio-economical classes which characterized their contribution to, and share of, the common wealth available. Cheaters, defined as those individuals that do not contribute to but benefit from it, have always existed, likely be present in all foreseeable future. Their existence brings about serious problems since they act sinks for community deplete resources limited often scarce. To fight cheaters, a society can invest additional pursue one or several aims. For instance, an improvement social solidarity (e.g. fostering education) may sought. Alternatively, deterrence increasing police budget) enhanced. Then following questions naturally arise: (i) how much spend (ii) allocate expenditure between both strategies above. This paper addresses this general issue simplified setting, however we believe of some interest. More precisely, consider constituted two productive unproductive one, proposes dynamical system describes evolution time. We find it convenient formulate our model three-dimensional ordinary differential equation (ODE) whose variables cheater population, total classes. The stationary values population studied terms parameters: φ (how invest) s distribute such expenditure). show is possible simultaneously minimize maximize with respect . then discuss possibility defining compromise function suitable optimize response cheating. In opinion, qualitative approach help plan implement against