In this version of the Public Goods Game, cooperators can punish free riders, but free riders can also punish cooperators, a phenomenon known as “antisocial punishment.” In places like Athens, people who didn’t contribute to the common pool often paid to punish those who did. Why would anyone do that? In part, it’s about revenge. Free riders resent being punished by cooperators and strike back. But it can’t be about revenge only because, in some places, low contributors will punish cooperators on the first round! It’s as if they are saying, “To hell with you do-gooders! Don’t even think about
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Eg, Greece
