How does government welfare stack up against private charity? It’s no contest

FEE’s Joel Lim writes, “It’s that time of year again, the time when Americans consume more than ever, but also the time when Americans give more than ever. Indeed, America's generosity as a whole is actually quite extensive, with Americans giving $471 billion in 2020, an all time high. That's more than what the vast majority of countries bring in for tax revenue. 80% of this is from individuals, according to Giving USA.

Americans, in general, are incredibly generous, with 25% of Americans volunteering every year...

How Does Government Welfare Stack Up Against Private Charity? It’s No Contest. - Foundation for Economic Education https://t.co/YcohGtfdmd

— John O'Donnell (@rainmakerOTA) December 4, 2021

Since the government started the ‘War on Poverty’ 56 years ago, it has spent $27 trillion on this effort. And yet, it was only the beginning 7 years when poverty rates went down. Why? Well, one likely explanation is that welfare has taught people not to work, as governmental welfare dependency statistics have shown. Indeed, 93% of welfare recipients rely on welfare for more than 2 years. Charity, on the other hand, is not guaranteed, so it encourages people to take responsibility and become self-sufficient…

Americans are a generous people, and we will step up and provide for the poor, especially if taxation is lowered through sensible cuts in welfare. Studies have found that ‘decreasing government funding increases the number of donors,’ which makes sense because a decrease in public spending means the people have more money to spend themselves.

A huge welfare state is not a practical solution for America, and its one-size-fits-all approach simply isn't working. The effects of the interventionist welfare state have been disastrous to taxpayers, communities, liberty, and the poor.”

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