Egoism
Freedom is a value that qualifies other values such as egoism which qualifies other values such as duty and responsibility which qualifies other values such as freedom. Altruism is such an end-value but which has to be defined in contrast with Authoritarianism and Anarchism - not to mention outright social Chaos.
"Ethical egoism is the normative ethical position that moral agents ought to do what is in their own self-interest. It differs from psychological egoism, which claims that people can only act in their self-interest. Ethical egoism also differs from rational egoism, which holds that it is rational to act in one's self-interest. Ethical egoism holds that actions whose consequences will benefit the doer can be considered ethical."
Which goes to show that simple values, such as Egoism, can mean or justify almost anything, when considered in isolation. Or merely, in this case, is opposed to some convenient definition of Altruism.
It is of course a personal attribute or vice, but is of no great interest other than in the way it defines society. It is obviously opposed to Altruist society, but does not in itself define a social condition. It has to be qualified by other values, and defined in opposition to the other principal forms of society.
Where it is related to or qualified by freedom and other consonant values, it defines society in which people - or societies themselves - act in self interest. But such a society cannot be allowed to descend into chaos or there is no society at all. It is a condition of moral relativism, and isolationism ie Anarchism.
Where it is qualified by duty and consonant values, it defines a servile society. It is a condition opposed to personal freedom. A sycophant society, or with some forms of religion it is something more subtle. Tyranny at its ultimate.
Altruism, as between individuals or societies, is freedom qualified by responsibility rather than duty. It is not self sacrifice, but mutual benefit.
People may indeed all act in their self-interest, in a peculiar sense. They are all doing what they consider to be 'right' for society, and for themselves or at least their progeny - self-sacrifice. Anarchists are the arch-individualists. Tyranny and the servile state, is imposed on people, who ultimately do not recognise their slavery.
