This paper explores whether there are systematic differences in decision-making between those who regularly allocate public resources and those who are the intended recipients. To test for differences we sample across farmers and policy makers in Vietnam. Our findings suggest that preference parameters such as fairness, risk orientation, discounting and control systematically differ between these two groups, and are predictors of the likelihood that an individual is in a position of allocating public resources or receiving them. Regardless of whether these differences are innate or socialized, they may help to explain the often unexpected outcomes of development policy interventions.