The tradition of private generosity in America has always been central to our free society.
Today, Americans voluntarily give over $30 billion a year to support higher education, and thanks in part to philanthropy, America has the best colleges and universities in the world. There are three reasons why America is the most charitable country on earth:
First, we are the most religious people of any leading modern economy. The single most important determinant of charitable giving is active religious faith and observance. Americans who attend church or synagogue or another form of worship once a week give three times as much to charity as a percentage of their income as do those who rarely attend religious services. One third of all charitable giving in America--$100 billion a year--goes to religion.
A second reason America is so charitable is because we respect the freedom and the ability of individuals, and associations of individuals, to make a difference. Americans don't wait for government or the local nobleman to solve our problems; we find solutions ourselves.
The third reason for our extraordinary charity is that philanthropy is such an important part of our nation's business culture. Wealth creation and philanthropy have always gone together in America. They are reflections of the creativity and can-do spirit of a free society. From Benjamin Franklin, who founded the first volunteer fire department, to Andrew Carnegie, who brought public libraries to communities across America, to Bill Gates, who is seeking to eradicate malaria, great business entrepreneurs have sought to be great philanthropists.
Source: Adam Meyerson, president, The Philanthropy Roundtable, from a speech delivered in Washington, D.C., on January 8, 2010 sponsored by the Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship
