America's Institutionalized Charity Worthy of Imitation
Some people speak of America's primary strength as her constituents' multitude of different backgrounds; the different cultures, religions, customs, philosophies lead to a country tolerant and accepting of differences. Others argue that the singular pride for being Americans, based on her economic, cultural, and military might on a global scale, unites all her constituents and presents that powerful nationalism superseding superficial differences in backgrounds.
Yet, the more I observe the country, the more I realize that the aspect in which America is truly unique is a fundamental existence of voluntary mutual support among individuals in the populace, without any coercion from the government to do so. While there are plenty of coldhearted-looking people in major cities (especially New York), even when there are not any crises on the horizon, it seems like the average American has been keen on helping out with the normal functioning of their communities.
The willingness to help even though there are no disasters or emergencies is what separate the Americans from the others. Surely, the Japanese came together for volunteering, donations, and emotional support after the big Quake, but when everything is functioning normally, they tend to stick to only their jobs, friends, and families, and mind their own business without troubling themselves with the suffering of others. The same is true for most other nations I have encountered.
But America has proven herself quite different. Just looking at the stats proves the point. The number of volunteering hours put in by Americans annually is consistently at the top of world rankings, as is the number of non-profit organizations registered in the country (even in the per capita terms). The monetary amount of donations to the NGOs and various other public institutions such as museums, churches, and libraries greatly exceed those of other countries, and the looking at the source of the donations, a surprisingly high percentage comes from people not in the wealthiest bracket of the population.
The almost obsessive passion Americans have toward charity, both in labor and money, cannot be simply a matter of habit or wealth. Similar levels of charity are not seen in many other equally wealthy economies of Europe and Asia, while American devotion to volunteerism is unparalleled anywhere else. There has to be a combination of traditions, incentives, and philosophies to institutionalize enthusiasm for charity. And the said combination would be truly unique in American culture.
The first institution lies in the tax code. Few countries beside America legally entitle "tax deductible" status to any amount of donations to public organizations. For cash to cars to even certain capital goods, anything the taxpayer gives up to a certified organization can earn him or her right to less taxation. And as organizations constantly mail brochures and letters to private homes to remind people of the fact, individual taxpayers do not see any financial reason not to answer the calls for charity.
The second has to do with religion. As the most religiously conservative and passionate country in the developed world, the US is in much better philosophical position than atheistic Europe or Japan for volunteerism. The calls for money and time, not just to religious establishment but any cause that would be consistent with heaven-ascension-worthy good intentions in mind, are often echoed by Judeo-Christian dogma. Giving up time and money to ensure better chances for a better afterlife sounds pretty good for a populace with no shortage of either.
And then, there is a certain social necessity. Many critical institutions in American society depend on volunteers and donations to function at all. As a high school volunteer at the local library and hospital, I realized just how important unpaid people are in everyday operations. In fact, for mot public institutions, like libraries, small museums, and political campaign offices, there perhaps is only one person (the head of operations) who is paid. The same is definitely not imaginable in other countries, where volunteers would be replaced with public servants paid with taxpayer money.
Finally, American society is designed to reward those with voluntarism. The most obvious is the instance in which volunteer hours are seen as big plus on college application, making volunteering almost a requirement for getting into good colleges. Less conspicuously, those with track records of charity often receive good impressions, something especially beneficial for political candidates and corporate PR. It is no wonder that many American corporation devote so much energy in "corporate responsibility," as opposed to, say, where I worked in Japan.
The combination of all four factors, mash together so perfectly, is only seen in America. It provides the social obligation, the financial incentive, religious persuasion, and personal benefits to push forward charity. Such an all-round package to induce volunteerism has led to a sense of public unity and participation in social improvement, while reducing the costs and hassles of operations for the government and other non-corporate organizations. The system is definitely worthy of emulation by other societies...
Yet, the more I observe the country, the more I realize that the aspect in which America is truly unique is a fundamental existence of voluntary mutual support among individuals in the populace, without any coercion from the government to do so. While there are plenty of coldhearted-looking people in major cities (especially New York), even when there are not any crises on the horizon, it seems like the average American has been keen on helping out with the normal functioning of their communities.
The willingness to help even though there are no disasters or emergencies is what separate the Americans from the others. Surely, the Japanese came together for volunteering, donations, and emotional support after the big Quake, but when everything is functioning normally, they tend to stick to only their jobs, friends, and families, and mind their own business without troubling themselves with the suffering of others. The same is true for most other nations I have encountered.
But America has proven herself quite different. Just looking at the stats proves the point. The number of volunteering hours put in by Americans annually is consistently at the top of world rankings, as is the number of non-profit organizations registered in the country (even in the per capita terms). The monetary amount of donations to the NGOs and various other public institutions such as museums, churches, and libraries greatly exceed those of other countries, and the looking at the source of the donations, a surprisingly high percentage comes from people not in the wealthiest bracket of the population.
The almost obsessive passion Americans have toward charity, both in labor and money, cannot be simply a matter of habit or wealth. Similar levels of charity are not seen in many other equally wealthy economies of Europe and Asia, while American devotion to volunteerism is unparalleled anywhere else. There has to be a combination of traditions, incentives, and philosophies to institutionalize enthusiasm for charity. And the said combination would be truly unique in American culture.
The first institution lies in the tax code. Few countries beside America legally entitle "tax deductible" status to any amount of donations to public organizations. For cash to cars to even certain capital goods, anything the taxpayer gives up to a certified organization can earn him or her right to less taxation. And as organizations constantly mail brochures and letters to private homes to remind people of the fact, individual taxpayers do not see any financial reason not to answer the calls for charity.
The second has to do with religion. As the most religiously conservative and passionate country in the developed world, the US is in much better philosophical position than atheistic Europe or Japan for volunteerism. The calls for money and time, not just to religious establishment but any cause that would be consistent with heaven-ascension-worthy good intentions in mind, are often echoed by Judeo-Christian dogma. Giving up time and money to ensure better chances for a better afterlife sounds pretty good for a populace with no shortage of either.
And then, there is a certain social necessity. Many critical institutions in American society depend on volunteers and donations to function at all. As a high school volunteer at the local library and hospital, I realized just how important unpaid people are in everyday operations. In fact, for mot public institutions, like libraries, small museums, and political campaign offices, there perhaps is only one person (the head of operations) who is paid. The same is definitely not imaginable in other countries, where volunteers would be replaced with public servants paid with taxpayer money.
Finally, American society is designed to reward those with voluntarism. The most obvious is the instance in which volunteer hours are seen as big plus on college application, making volunteering almost a requirement for getting into good colleges. Less conspicuously, those with track records of charity often receive good impressions, something especially beneficial for political candidates and corporate PR. It is no wonder that many American corporation devote so much energy in "corporate responsibility," as opposed to, say, where I worked in Japan.
The combination of all four factors, mash together so perfectly, is only seen in America. It provides the social obligation, the financial incentive, religious persuasion, and personal benefits to push forward charity. Such an all-round package to induce volunteerism has led to a sense of public unity and participation in social improvement, while reducing the costs and hassles of operations for the government and other non-corporate organizations. The system is definitely worthy of emulation by other societies...
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