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Is the U.S. really the most generous nation?

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Ant:
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~kai/foreignaid.html

Surprisingly the U.S. is actually the least generous developed nation in the world.  We give around .1% of national GNP away each year in foreign aid, the least of any developed nation.  The U.N. decided that about .7% of GNP is a fair target.

We (americans) often brag about how much we do for the rest of the world, and while we may do the most, we do it with the least effort.  I can't really say whether this is a good or bad thing, but I point it out only because many Americans have this impression that we are by far the best country in the world in every way conceivable.  I'm proud of my country, but in business its important to know what your competition is doing and to benchmark yourself against them.  If you blindly assume your company is superior you may one day find yourself surpassed by someone else.  This is my main problem with modern day conservatives, and strong american nationalists. They go on and on about how people who criticize America hate America, while thats simply not the truth.  Progress requires open eyes, and constant self criticism.  I bet 100% of all Americans on this board thought we were the most generous nation in the world.  It turns out we're not, and if we all continue to block out criticism we might just learn the hard way how many other assumptions we held were wrong. 

As always, feel free to share your thoughts. 

Thirteen:
don't judge people by their country  :P

No. 1 givers Bill and Melinda Gates, the world's largest international donors, who made history this year by giving their estimated $3 billion Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - News) dividend to their foundation. It's one of the largest donations in history by a living donor. To put it into perspective, that one gift is three times bigger than the amount that America's richest family, the descendants of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT - News) founder Sam Walton, has given during their entire lifetimes

http://biz.yahoo.com/special/charityguide04.html

Ant:
I'm not talking about individual donations, I'm talking about foreign aid provided by the government.  The world's supposed moral authority, the U.S. Government, is the least generous government in the developed world. 

Thirteen:
once again, governments were formed to protect the people that live within their borders, not shell out money to other people. so first, your argument has no merit

secondly the US is made up of individuals, and those individuals give alot, probably making us the most generous nation

so there goes the answer to the thread's title

Probably

Don Rizzle:
goverments are not just for protection they have evolved from that and with the millions of deaths america has caused over the last half century, maybe they shpuld have a bit of more of a social conscience and give to those who who never harmed anyone rath invest so much money into destroying things.


--- Quote ---the aid agency Oxfam says in a report.
In real terms, the aid budgets of rich countries are half what they were in 1960, the charity claims.

Oxfam also says that that poor countries are paying back $100m a day in debt repayments.

"As rich countries get richer, they're giving less and less. This is a scandal that must stop," Oxfam director Barbara Stocking said.

If the present trends continue, the agency warns that 45 million more children will die needlessly in the next 10 years.
--- End quote ---

--- Quote ---Oxfam says rich countries such as the US, Germany and Japan have broken a pledge made in 1970 to make available 0.7% of their gross national incomes in aid.
--- End quote ---

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