Why do Americans think they donate more to charity even though EU donates twice more than USA?

Question

USA foreign aid if about $25 billion a year, EU foreign aid is $50 billion a year, yet people here keep claiming the opposite. Why is this?

Answer 1

Americans, of late, are totally self involved with the whole "greed is good" thing, particularly if it is approved by a self righteous deity with whose authority nearly every abomination is not only possible but entirely justified.

Answer 2

since when was the EU a country? and thats just the government, the citizens of the US donate even more

Answer 3

Isn't the EU made up of 25 or more independent nations -- did any one of those nations come up with more than $25 billion?

Maybe you could do a little research and get back to us with some sources.

Answer 4

Where are you getting this information from? I think its a load of c**p you just pulled out of your head.

Answer 5

the usa is one country

the EU is a group of countries

and you are wrong =)

Answer 6

So if these numbers are correct and there is twenty seven members in the EU, then each country only gives about 1.85 billion compared to 25 billion of the US.  Either were good people or we just like to throw away money.

Answer 7

first of all the EU is a group of countries with "old" money, and USA is one country with "new" money. plus the fact the we are fighting a war and still catching up from several natural disasters warrants that our money is better used here at home. also the fact that most Americans are very opinionated, reluctant to think(or admit) they are wrong, and think they are the best (mostly because it's pounded into our heads from the time we are pre-schoolers.

Answer 8

Because basicly, in the EU, the government does everything.

But 99% of US charity, is donated by private individuals

And not by the government.

Those stats you listed, do not count private donations,

Only those from the us federal government..

Answer 9

Because we're idiots.

Answer 10

If you don't site a source then you are full of ****.

Further, you used the word donate.  Foreign aid is a function of government and not a charitable source.

fs

Answer 11

the u.s. gave more than that to fight aids in Africa, let's see, the us. is one country the EU is how many?, how much do you figure we contributed to EU countries in  chamberlains war?

Answer 12

Ok for the ones that keep going on about EU being 27 or several countries and the US being one.  In terms of population and size they are the most comparable.  Also these statistics should only be viewed in terms of % of GDP or GNP.

It is true the EU countries donate much more in terms of Government aid or Development Assistance than the US.  It is also true that US give private philanthropic donations than the EU.  

However, the private donations include remittance payments, immigrants (both legal and illegal) sending money earned back to relatives in their home countries.  This accounts for at least 35% of all private donations to developing countries.  It has also been found these sort of donations are the most effective at tackling poverty.

The point is that the EU and USA give proportionally the same amount when combining the two forms of charitable assistance to developing countries.  But more importantly developing countries need to have the money micro managed so that the funds go to create infrastructure to foster economic development bypassing the receiving countries governments to avoid corruption.

Answer 13

so your comparing a continent to a country-that doesn't seem to fair.

Answer 14

You are just talking about the government's foreign aid.

However the usa citizens ourselves AMERICANS GIVE $241 BILLION TO CHARITY IN 2003 according to AAFRC .

Answer 15

They believe what they are told by their TV "friends"!

Answer 16

The United States is one country, the European Union is a union of several European countries. The United States does donate more charity and foreign aid than any other country on this planet.

Answer 17

We don't think that and we don't care to make it a contest with nonAmericans.  Spend our money on Americans.

::Well, my mistake. Some Americans do want it to be a tribal contest and took your bait.

Answer 18

I didnt know our country was in a contest

Answer 19

Two things.

First, you're comparing a continent to a country.

Second, you've completely left out private donations from Americans.