If generosity is being repaid with loyalty, that means it's working. But to assume that some recent-spawned stranger's loyalty can be bought for a sabre, or that it even exists, is relying far too much on the unreallistic psychology of cantr.
But for the clan and other fractions it seems to be working...so even if it may seem naive, perhaps they can afford to lose a couple of sabres to gain some good friends and allies.
Actually, if they formed the same view of the clan that I have, most of my characters would be unwilling to join.
Few of my characters share my personal view.
My character in the clan lived only to make a name for himself and die gloriously in combat...the clan fit him like a glove.
Because on spawning there is no reason to immediately, before anyone living there has spoken and (my impression is) generally without reading any notes, decide that you want to live somewhere forever and get a job. Any job.
That depends...I would guess I'm not the only player who find the idea of spawning from thin air silly and instead think of my new characters as people who have grown up in the nearby area. (There is after all a lot of place to live in during the blank locations along the roads
)
What kind of mind would feel amply rewarded when sitting in a building for years on end working on project after project, getting nothing to keep, and generally not even talking to their fellow peons? Evidently the mind of the average career-seeker would.
I also find it a bit weird that some characters decide to take jobs where they are kept basically locked up...but is there really that many people who do that?
As for lack of need...you mean kind of like the modern first world? Where people still tend to be greedy like sharks in a feeding frenzy?
No, not at all. Our modern first world is nothing but a long struggle to gather as much wealth as possible to secure your survival. That we have money instead of resources doesn't make a big change.
In Cantr a person can secure his survival with very little effort...IRL it is almost impossible not to be a part of the wealth gathering system.
Yes. Yes I have. Have you even considered the temptation inherent in an object that in these fallen days will take over 10 years to get...Not any given 25 year old who'se been working for the company all of 60 days.
First of all. 60 days in Cantr isn't like 60 IRL days. Five years is quite a lot of Cantr time. Secondly bikes and other vehicles get stolen all the time...so it isn't like people aren't greedy.
Taking the loot is the default move for a person, not the exception.
That may be the truth for you...but not for me.
Theft IRL is deterred by the fact that many thieves are caught in developed countries.
Very much is deterred by moral most of us have been indoctrinated with from very early years. The average joe could scheme a hell of a lot more than he does and get away with it, but most people seem to be honest...at least when it comes to serious crimes that effects other people.
So far, that's one clothing company I've heard of that's been payed in anything worthwhile (other than free slaves) for their work. And that's in Siom...where I think many 'deputies' have access to iron that they can at least treat as their own. So there's actually a middle class (by modern standards) or knighthood (maybe more accurate) that can actually buy things at prices worth selling them for.
Actually, the Siom government...lacking any form of competence and organization, seems to be lacking any supplies of iron.
The Tenneks got the iron from a traveller from Reniov Mountains, who wanted to supply her workers with uniforms...
One of my characters has the resources for the job. No motivation for it, though. 
Let me know if you want a job. 