Posted on 4th December 2008
The Government should encourage a culture of giving, and rich people should give more, according to a Fabian society paper, Mutual Action, Common Purpose: Empowering the Third Sector.
The report, written by David Blunkett MP, argues that the wealthiest 10% in Britain represent 56% of the nation’s wealth and only 21% of its giving. It also says that corporate social responsibility is not a feature of the business landscape, as it is in the US and was in the UK in the late 19th and earlier 20th centuries.
Blunkett says of philanthropy, “The most significant change has been the emergence of a growing group of high net worth individuals who are taking seriously their social responsibility.”
The report recommends adopting Lifetime Legacies, and more generally government development of existing and new ways of giving.
According to the report, “Being pro-philanthropy is not an attempt to cut government spending on welfare and charities. There is plenty of research to support a ‘crowding in’ theory, whereby donations from individuals act as a signal to government that a cause or charity is worth supporting.”
The full paper is available on the Fabian Society website.
