Motives for Private Gift Transfers: Theory and Evidence from Romania

In many developing and transitional countries, inter-household transfers in general and gifts in particular are sizable and very important. We use unique Romanian data that enables us, contrary to most previous studies, to isolate pure gifts from other kinds of private transfers and to study them in detail. We find that social norms are important for explaining the occurrence of gifts and that the rich and the poor receive to the same extent. However, we find different motives for gifts to the rich and the poor. Middle- and high-income households are part of reciprocal networks and receive more the higher their incomes and the more they give to others. Although the poor may be excluded from reciprocal networks, they still receive, since there is a social duty norm to give.