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Americans set new mark for giving POSTED: 2:24 a.m. EDT, June 25, 2007 NEW YORK (AP) -- Americans gave nearly $300 billion to charitable causes last year, setting a new record and besting the 2005 total that had been boosted by a surge in aid to victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma -- and the Asian tsunami. Donors contributed an estimated $295.02 billion in 2006, a 1 percent increase when adjusted for inflation, up from $283.05 billion in 2005. Excluding donations for disaster relief, the total rose 3.2 percent, inflation-adjusted, according to an annual report released Monday by the Giving USA Foundation at Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy. Giving historically tracks the health of the overall economy, with the rise amounting to about one-third the rise in the stock market, according to Giving USA. Last year was right on target, with a 3.2 percent rise, as stocks rose more than 10 percent on an inflation-adjusted basis. "What people find especially interesting about this, and it's true year after year, that such a high percentage comes from individual donors," Giving USA Chairman Richard Jolly said. Individuals gave a combined 75.6 percent of the total. With bequests, that rises to 83.4 percent. The biggest chunk of the donations, $96.82 billion or 32.8 percent, went to religious organizations. The second largest slice, $40.98 billion or 13.9 percent, went to education, including gifts to colleges, universities and libraries. About 65 percent of households with incomes less than $100,000 give to charity, the report showed. Part of 'American culture' "It tells you something about American culture that is unlike any other country," said Claire Gaudiani, a professor at NYU's Heyman Center for Philanthropy and author of "The Greater Good: How Philanthropy Drives the American Economy and Can Save Capitalism." Gaudiani said the willingness of Americans to give cuts across income levels, and their investments go to developing ideas, inventions and people to the benefit of the overall economy. Gaudiani said Americans give twice as much as the next most charitable country, according to a November 2006 comparison done by the Charities Aid Foundation. In philanthropic giving as a percentage of gross domestic product, the U.S. ranked first at 1.7 percent. No. 2 Britain gave 0.73 percent, while France, with a 0.14 percent rate, trailed such countries as South Africa, Singapore, Turkey and Germany. Mega-gifts, which Giving USA considers to be donations of $1 billion or more, tend to get the most attention, and that was true last year especially. Investment superstar Warren Buffett announced in June 2006 that he would give $30 billion over 20 years to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Of that total, $1.9 billion was given in 2006, which helped push the year's total higher. Gaudiani said that gift reflects a growing focus on using donated money efficiently and effectively. "I think it's also a strategic commitment to upward mobility exported to other countries, in the form of improved health and stronger civil societies," she said. The Gates Foundation has focused on reducing hunger and fighting disease in developing countries as well as improving education in the U.S. Without Buffett's pledge, it had an endowment of $29.2 billion as of the end of 2005. Meanwhile, companies and their foundations gave less in 2006, dropping 10.5 percent to $12.72 billion. Jolly said corporate giving fell because companies had been so generous in response to the natural disasters and because profits overall were less strong in 2006 over the year before. The Giving USA report counts money given to foundations as well as grants the foundations make to nonprofits and other groups, since foundations typically give out only income earned without spending the original donations.

I'm not trying to be a USA homer, but I do think it raises some interesting questions. Why do Americans, per capita, give twice as much as any other country? I realize that the USA has the bulk of world wealth, but when we're talking about doubling the next closest country in terms of giving, I wonder if there's more to it. Could it be the resistance to socialism, hence more personal income after taxes, plays the biggest part? Could this be extended to say that in a libertarian style government even more would be given to charitable causes? Could freely-given charitable donations in a libertarian government in the USA fund social programs that are currently maintained through taxes?

Maybe a libertarian society would create conditions where there would be more of a need for charity, and therefore more given? Maybe that's why America gives the most, because the economic system creates so many people that need charity to survive?

I'm pretty sure the best economic system would be one that creates less of a need to give to charity?

Altho I would like to point out I'm not having a pop at America or Americans btw! I think it's great that so much is given to charity (even if a third does go to religious groups and probably explains why America is much more charitable!)

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The biggest chunk of the donations, $96.82 billion or 32.8 percent, went to religious organizations.

Lol, there's always a catch.

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Originally posted by George Smiley I'm pretty sure the best economic system would be one that creates less of a need to give to charity?

Good luck finding such an economic system because socialist/communism style economy failed

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Originally posted by chinamon not true. i say "ugh" but i am a tranny.

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Originally posted by kotsy lol colour me retarded

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Originally posted by NeoPhono Why do Americans, per capita, give twice as much as any other country?

Simple mathematics.

Per Capita income.

The US person on average earns about 41-42k a year.
As a rough comparison to other westernised countries, earn around 29-33k a year, this includes UK, Australia and most of the big Euro's like Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, France and the Japanese.

Living costs, the US is either cheaper or roughly the same as those countries.

= More spare money on average per household.

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Originally posted by EvilTree Good luck finding such an economic system because socialist/communism style economy failed

Has any economic system not failed? Every economic system has had it's good points and bad, the American right-wing economic system being no exception. It's good because it's stable, but it doesn't cater for everyone with 12% below the poverty line (the figure is higher for some similar economies in Europe)

A blend between libertarianism and socialism is considered the most effective economic system by all Western governments and those that are further to the left seem to have less poverty culminating with the Scandinavian countries who, according to the CIA, have "N/A" poverty (which is because it is close to 0%) so go figure...

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Originally posted by Lilith Simple mathematics. Per Capita income. The US person on average earns about 41-42k a year. As a rough comparison to other westernised countries, earn around 29-33k a year, this includes UK, Australia and most of the big Euro's like Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, France and the Japanese. Living costs, the US is either cheaper or roughly the same as those countries. = More spare money on average per household.

Yes, and also its a big shame that so much money is donated to religion, its just bad. Thats not helping, thats just trying to buy out your sins. Pet capita, US is pretty cheap, but I dont hate America. America isnt so bad. I love a lot of things about USA, like some music, baseball, some lifestyles, technology and wonders it brought, etc. Politics is what I hate about US to some degree.

Some people, like Bill Gates, who gives many millions every year to various charities and this one millionaire (whose name I forgot) who is buying up lands around the world that are in need of protection from humans, I adore very much these and other people. Though there are also many greedy people there too, many ignorant and selfish people. USA is the main country in the world that can do so many good things for the world, for the planet, for human race. I hope, I dream and I believe that one day USA can lead a better, more productive way, bring peace and prosperity to the world, and give an example as to whom to look up to for a better world that is environmentally and socially sustainable.

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Originally posted by Magnetonium Yes, and also its a big shame that so much money is donated to religion, its just bad. Thats not helping, thats just trying to buy out your sins.

I'll quite happily agree religion as an idea is the biggest load of crock since some caveman invented fraud
However a fair amount of genuine, domestic and overseas charity does actually comes from religious organisations who are quite hard working and even handed about who they help.
They don't use all that money printing books and propaganda, a lot of it gets channelled in child sponsorship, orphanages, education and the usual varieties of humanitarian aid.
They aren't all bad and they do a great deal of good.


Back to the topic.
A fairer way of comparing, is working out the actual percentage of income per capita given to charity, rather than the total sum.
Some person in say, the old eastern block countries who makes $10k a year and donates $1000 out of that to a charity, is in terms of material generosity, far more giving than someone who earns 30k and donates $1500 annually.

I do agree it's tough to compare giving between nations because there is a difference in income levels. However, I don't think Americans make twice as much as those in the UK, in order to make up for the UK giving half as much as the US. I'd also mimic what has been said in that just because a charity is religious, it does not mean they do not provide a beneficial service. Some may have better resources or may be run in a more efficient manner than smaller, non-religious charities. Lastly, I'd say that in a libertarian society, extra income could be given to charities that an individual dictates and possibly allow the giver to see the results of the charity more directly. I think this would only help to increase giving in that a person would be able to see the effects of their generosity. That is opposed to the "forced" generosity of giving taxes in order for the government to decide who gets help in a socialist system.

Hey in the UK we pay National Insurance which is about 11% on what we earn so that everyone in the country gets free health care! So stick that on those figures and see how much the British pay compared to the Americans charity!

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Originally posted by Taranis Lol, there's always a catch.

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From what I've read, the country that gives the most to charitable causes around the world is actually Germany.

So the premise of this thread may be incorrect.

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