America tops the list of world’s most generous nations

[Independent voter]

We have a lot of money and we're still religious is my guess as to why

Hell, Bill Gates gives more money away than many countries.





http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a6849221.html

America has been named as the world’s most generous nation in the world, where its citizens give the most to charity, according to a new report.

The USA, New Zealand and Canada have the highest rate of charitable donations as a percentage gross domestic product (GDP), the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) found.

The UK had the fourth highest rate of charitable donations in a study of 24 nations and topped all other EU countries that were looked at.

CAF’s report took data from countries accounting for around 75 per cent of global GDP and 53 per cent of the world population.

Charitable giving by individuals as a percentage of GDP in America was recorded at 1.44%, in New Zealand at 0.79%, in Canada at .77% and in the UK – which came fourth globally – at 0.54%.

The report also analysed the impact of taxation and government spending and the amount given to charity and found there was "no significant correlation" except for employer social security charges, highlighting the complexity behind people’s decisions of when to give and how much.

Adam Pickering, international policy manager at CAF, said: "Across the 24 nations we studied, we found no significant link between government spending, income or corporation tax and the proportion of GDP donated by individuals.

"This suggests the relationship between the amount of taxes people pay and the amount they give to charity is not as clear cut as some may have thought.

“The factors which motivate people to give, and influence how much they give, are incredibly complex."

[Zogarth]

I honestly think that if we removed Bill Gates from the equation, it would drop significantly, and even to US not being first. The study is either badly done, or the article has horrible amounts of information. It is also not stating what a "charity" even is.

[Deleted]

Does this include donations that conveniently dodge taxes?

[Deleted]

Does this include donations that conveniently dodge taxes?

Does that really matter though? At least this way it ends up with the right cause and doesnt disappear in a black hole that is the government.

[Crispin]

I had no idea that Bill Gates were donating on behalf of the US.

[Doctor Amadeus]

Does that really matter though? At least this way it ends up with the right cause and doesnt disappear in a black hole that is the government.

You mean healthcare safety standards, food, water, shelter?

[Deleted]

well, its also the richest first world country if you take size into account.

Its like "wow"ing the fact that china has the largest rice production...

Statistics can always be skewed into one way to make countries sound better or worse than they are.

[Deleted]

Does that really matter though? At least this way it ends up with the right cause and doesnt disappear in a black hole that is the government.

There's no distinction between the right causes and inefficient wasteful ones, though. The UK for example, while 4th in the poll has some questionable methods of moving assets through charities to reduce taxable income, while retaining ownership of the property. I don't know how often that happens, but it may skew the rankings.

[Puupi]

well, its also the richest first world country if you take size into account.

Its like "wow"ing the fact that china has the largest rice production...

Statistics can always be skewed into one way to make countries sound better or worse than they are.

So which part of the "charitable giving by individuals as percentage of GDP" didn't you understand?

[Deleted]

You mean healthcare safety standards, food, water, shelter?

Is this what they spend the majority on in the US or on the military and tax cuts?

I personally do favour donating money to local/national causes over causes in far away countries, but for some reason that's what the liberal rich people favour over their own people.

[Doctor Amadeus]

Is this what they spend the majority on in the US or on the military and tax cuts?

I personally do favour donating money to local/national causes over causes in far away countries, but for some reason that's what the liberal rich people favour over their own people.

Nope completely out of context. Helping other parts of the world does help us. By others having access there no need to come here and it raises the entire landscape along with just have and have nots. There are many different points to attack that make the world a better place.

[klogaroth]

We have a lot of money and we're still religious is my guess as to why

Hell, Bill Gates gives more money away than many countries.

Looking at the rest of the top 4 I'm not sure about your religion idea, at least not based on current levels of religion. There are far more religious countries than all of the top 4, especially the UK. Perhaps a history of Christian religion may play a part in shaping how charitable a nation is, but I don't think it's required for the nation to remain religious. It seems quite plausible that those values stick around even after levels of religion wane.

[I Push Buttons]

I honestly think that if we removed Bill Gates from the equation, it would drop significantly, and even to US not being first. The study is either badly done, or the article has horrible amounts of information. It is also not stating what a "charity" even is.

Here is the total breakdown of who gave what to what:

Total:
$390.5 billion - 2.1% of GDP

Who gave:
- Individuals - $281.86 billion - 72% (1.44% of GDP)
- Foundations - $59.28 billion - 15%
- Bequests - $30.36 billion - 8%
- Corporations - $18.55 billion - 5%

Cause they gave it to:
- Religious - $122.94 billion - 32%
- Education - $59.77 billion - 15%
- Human Services - $46.8 billion - 12%
- Foundations - $40.56 billion - 10%
- Health - $33.14 billion - 8%
- Public-Society Benefit - $29.89 billion - 8%
- International Charities - $22.03 billion - 6%
- Arts, Culture, Humanites - $18.21 billion - 5%
- Environment/Animals - $11.05 billion - 3%

---

So before you hurt yourself bending over backwards to bash to US... Even if you excluded religious offerings, we are still significantly higher than the next highest country. And Bill Gates and his ilk, who make their own foundations, only contributed 15% through those foundations (not trying to diminish their charitable contributions in any way).

[the game]

great. now op will get in trouble for nationalism

[Uncle]

32% in religion, that's a bloody waste.

[PosPosPos]

Related: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.d13816eb6eb3

And if you exclude "donations" that go towards building megachurches which close their doors to those seeking disaster relief in their area, it's easy to tell which part of the nation is doing the heavy lifting in terms of donations.

[I Push Buttons]

I don't think it can actually be called charity when people are throwing money at televangelists.

Giving 2% of your total GDP to 'good causes' is also extremely low. Other nations spend a lot more on social security, healthcare and education tbh.

Remember, since religion seems to still be a thing among americans: It's not about how much you give of your wealth, but how much you give out of all you have to live on.

No?

The US spends $1.8 trillion (9.2% of GDP) on social security/income security (this includes $200 billion in state spending)... $3.35 trillion (17.2% of GDP) on healthcare (40% of that being direct government spending)... And $1.2 trillion (6.2% of GDP) on education...

[Deleted]

Charity... the darkest abyss we can spend money in. Given the mass of billionaires in America with their own charity institutions it's no wonder they are leading it. But when you look what charity did in America when they were hit by the hurricanes last year and what it should have been able to do, you don't wanna know how the ratio is in Africa or other countries.

Maybe I could trust American charity more if they start about caring about their direct neighbors and establish healthcare, drop their guns and in general don't live under the "every man on it's own"-mentality.

[kenthovind]

We have a lot of money and we're still religious is my guess as to why

Hell, Bill Gates gives more money away than many countries.





http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a6849221.html

America has been named as the world’s most generous nation in the world, where its citizens give the most to charity, according to a new report.

The USA, New Zealand and Canada have the highest rate of charitable donations as a percentage gross domestic product (GDP), the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) found.

The UK had the fourth highest rate of charitable donations in a study of 24 nations and topped all other EU countries that were looked at.

CAF’s report took data from countries accounting for around 75 per cent of global GDP and 53 per cent of the world population.

Charitable giving by individuals as a percentage of GDP in America was recorded at 1.44%, in New Zealand at 0.79%, in Canada at .77% and in the UK – which came fourth globally – at 0.54%.

The report also analysed the impact of taxation and government spending and the amount given to charity and found there was "no significant correlation" except for employer social security charges, highlighting the complexity behind people’s decisions of when to give and how much.

Adam Pickering, international policy manager at CAF, said: "Across the 24 nations we studied, we found no significant link between government spending, income or corporation tax and the proportion of GDP donated by individuals.

"This suggests the relationship between the amount of taxes people pay and the amount they give to charity is not as clear cut as some may have thought.

“The factors which motivate people to give, and influence how much they give, are incredibly complex."

The atheistic CIA is still creating wars in other countries and creating suffering on a massive scale. But yes, USA people are good people. Not the government though.

[Saucexorzski]

No?

The US spends $1.8 trillion (9.2% of GDP) on social security/income security (this includes $200 billion in state spending)... $3.35 trillion (17.2% of GDP) on healthcare (40% of that being direct government spending)... And $1.2 trillion (6.2% of GDP) on education...

some folks think discretionary spending is all the US spends...i hope they learn something from this.