Abstract:This article defines altruistic behaviors of different kinds, explains the reason for lack of altruism in China from perspectives of economics, and indicates that altruism is determined not only by ethics, but also by economic incentives. In addition, the article compares efficiency of market, government, and altruistic behavior in satisfying needs of social members and allocating resources. It concludes that it is important to define boundary between altruism and egoism in market economy.