The Reciprocity Rule in Politics

Reciprocity rules are too strong and socially beneficial for us to want to violate it. Reciprocation tactics appear at every level, from the top down to local levels. The out of character vote of one of our elected representatives on a bill or measure can often be understood as a favor returned to the bill sponsor. It is interesting that this same process may account for the problems jimmy carter had in getting his programmes through congress during his early administration. He campaigned on his outside washington identity, saying that he was indebted to no one there. Much of his legislative difficulty upon arriving may be traced to the fact that no one there was indebted to him.