Why Dont Britains Rich Give To Charity Like Wealthy Americans?

[macfarlan]

It's almost a month old this article, but I thought it would interest lots of people here.

My link

[GBdamo]

It's almost a month old this article, but I thought it would interest lots of people here.

My link

Why don't they all just take a little less, no need for charity.

[LuckyOne]

It is all about the tax incentives.

In the US, donors get a tax deduction. This allows them to choose whether to give capital gains and inheritence tax to the government or to give the money directly to choices that they agree with.

What some see as being "noble", others might see as a way to bypass due democratic process.

[lurker07]

Because it doesn't address the real problem.

When a country's populace is enticed to work for decent wages and give back a proportion in tax, there would be no need for charities.

If a "developed" nation can't look after it's population, then there is something fundamentally wrong with the system.

[exiges]

(Dodgers excepted) those high earners are already handing over half their income to "charity"

[Ruffneck]

It would help Britain more if they invested in creating more local productive industry rather than giving more money to Africam dictators.

[Milton]

Have not read the linked article.

But responding to the original question. I once watched a very believable in depth debate amongst some very intelligent highly regarded scientists, regarding African Aid. [Circa 3 years ago]

And the conclusion was that the US gave the least amount of money in aid.

I cannot remember the complicated equation by which they came to their conclusions. But it was a legitimate study, and very believable in comparison to a paper like the Daily Mai.

*I'm wondering if it was 'The Truth about Climate Change. Presented by David Attenborough, which had the scientists debating the Aid Issue. Cannot remember.

Edited January 17, 2011 by Dan1

[tomwatkins]

Having lived in the US for going on 14 years (back in the UK for a spell) my observation is that Americans as a race of people are FAR more generous than we Brits. Not just the rich and tax breaks etc. People generally help their struggling neighbours a lot more than here. Foodbanks are still doing well even though times are tough for the folks who are donating. We just don't like to admit it but I have seen it over my lifetime in the UK-we have become a nation of" f0ck to the strugglers, let's get a bigger pad". I don't like to generalise but TBH I have to say it started on Thatchers watch.

[Guest_FaFa!_*]

We have a large state here which takes care of people, hence less need and less disposable income for charity. This is in fact part of the problem, as it encourages people to always think that it is other people who need to deal with social problems, rather than thinking of society as a whole. It is all part of the enormous issue we have in this country of people being denied agency as human beings and thus robbed of their humanity.

[Peter Hun]

Having lived in the US for going on 14 years (back in the UK for a spell) my observation is that Americans as a race of people are FAR more generous than we Brits. Not just the rich and tax breaks etc. People generally help their struggling neighbours a lot more than here. Foodbanks are still doing well even though times are tough for the folks who are donating. We just don't like to admit it but I have seen it over my lifetime in the UK-we have become a nation of" f0ck to the strugglers, let's get a bigger pad". I don't like to generalise but TBH I have to say it started on Thatchers watch.

Well the US needs food kitchens and help for neighbours. In Europe you are give a house and food plus a little extra to live on, if you give an umemployed person charity what are they going to do with it? spend it on Sky sports and booze? European's pay tax so there isn't a need for charity.

Edited January 17, 2011 by Peter Hun

[NW11]

Brits paying 50% tax already give very generously via HMRC

[Xurbia]

Well the US needs food kitchens and help for neighbours. In Europe you are give a house and food plus a little extra to live on, if you give an umemployed person charity what are they going to do with it? spend it on Sky sports and booze? European's pay tax so there isn't a need for charity.

The Americans are very charitable. I'm not sure where you get the idea the Americans don't pay tax? I can tell you they do. Since I moved here I pay more tax than in Britain because my income is higher; much higher. Do all Europeans really pay tax? Even the Greeks? America even offered Brisbane help recently. If anything, I'd say the British are guilty of helping out the work-shy too much. That's not charity, it's negligence.

Edited January 17, 2011 by Xurbia

[indirectapproach]

Well there is the Wolfson Foundation,

http://www.wolfson.org.uk/about-us/history/

[gruffydd]

It's almost a month old this article, but I thought it would interest lots of people here.

My link

Because most of our wealthy are actually owed shedloads of gratitude for getting us through the recession. Why would they need to give to charity when they already do so much for each and everyone of us. The brainboxes of the world.

[kzb]

Anyone listen to the R4 programme last week on humanitarian aid?

It's estimated that 15-20% of the money gets through to the people being aided.

Billions of dollars have gone into Haiti after the earthquake, with ***-all to show for it. No-one knows where most of the money has gone, because there is zero accountability -however it is suspected that a big fraction has gone into buying 4-wheel drive vehicles for aid workers.

In Port-au-Prince, amongst the first things to reopen were the casino and a nightclub. Aid workers were stepping over the bodies to get to the casino at night.

I'm only repeating what was said on R4 before anyone starts

[fellow]

Anyone listen to the R4 programme last week on humanitarian aid?

It's estimated that 15-20% of the money gets through to the people being aided.

Billions of dollars have gone into Haiti after the earthquake, with ***-all to show for it. No-one knows where most of the money has gone, because there is zero accountability -however it is suspected that a big fraction has gone into buying 4-wheel drive vehicles for aid workers.

In Port-au-Prince, amongst the first things to reopen were the casino and a nightclub. Aid workers were stepping over the bodies to get to the casino at night.

I'm only repeating what was said on R4 before anyone starts

+1

Too much corruption.

[Hyperduck Quack Quack]

Maybe the difference is that generous rich Britons like to keep quiet about their charity donations, whereas generous rich Americans like to let everyone know that they like to 'keep quiet' about their charity work !!

[Number79]

why do we always go through this drivel?

Avoiding tax, not giving to charity, putting money offshore.

Why should people give money to charity? Have you seen how much the government takes from your wage and how much they freely give away to various charity cases?

I would do work for local charities and do help the local school but I wont give cash any more.

Many charities make more in interest per year than I can earn, my need is greater.