I believe the concept you're looking for is the principle of reciprocity. This is a basic principle in the psychology of relationships, and is especially important in the arena of political and civil relationships. The principle of reciprocity says that human beings have a need and tendency to want to give something back when something is received. This give and take approach helps us to work together toward compromises and mutually agreeable solutions.
In recent years, it seems Congress sometimes has forgotten this principle. Strong partisanship has been in evidence, with each party drawing hard lines and being extremely reluctant to make any accommodations to their counterparts on the other side of the political aisle. This tends to lead to dysfunction in government, because any accommodation with the other party is perceived as some sort of political heresy. It's good to remember that the design of our legislative institutions includes the principle of reciprocity and the need for opposing sides to make accommodations to one another in order to arrive at workable solutions.
