The Poor are more generous than the wealthy

sangha · Jul 21, 2011

For all the talk about how the poor are "parasites", the facts suggest that it's another group who is behaving parasitically

Who are the most generous givers?

I just found this article that takes a look at the various income brackets in the U.S. and their average giving percentages. It turns out – which may or may not be a surprise – that the poor are the most generous in terms of percentage of income given.

“In fact, America’s poor donate more, in percentage terms, than higher-income groups do, surveys of charitable giving show. What’s more, their generosity declines less in hard times than the generosity of richer givers does.”

As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4

America's poor are its most generous givers | McClatchy

Indeed, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest survey of consumer expenditure found that the poorest fifth of America's households contributed an average of 4.3 percent of their incomes to charitable organizations in 2007. The richest fifth gave at less than half that rate, 2.1 percent.

The figures probably undercount remittances by legal and illegal immigrants to family and friends back home, a multibillion-dollar outlay to which the poor contribute disproportionally.

And it's not just in the US

BBC NEWS | England | Poor make most generous donations

Research by Experian commissioned by The Giving Campaign revealed giving is most widespread among people living in council houses.

The Poor are more generous than the wealthy

sangha

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