It’s
about an anonymous donor who sent for the second year gift boxes filled with
cash to local charities, and $50 gift cards for volunteers themselves.
But I have never heard of similar facts
in France. And when I did a search online
(and I encourage you to do the same) I found nothing by typing "anonymous donor"
or any other term approaching.
For
sure these anonymous gifts, when they exist, are news items. Their number does
not allow countless charities to work, neither in France
nor in the United States.
And the donations in France are not
lacking.
Indeed,
according to this study, donations to charities in France increase every year (+ 1.73%
in 2015), 58% of French have made a donation in 2015, and fiscal incentives are
quite efficient: "The reduction of tax, between 66% and 75% of the sums
paid, is one of the sources of motivation for the donors." And "the
donation related to ISF (tax for the richest people) is expected to reach 250
million euros this year. An increase of 80% in six years." In other words, French give a lot but they also
enjoy taking advantage of tax measures.
In
the United States too, there are tax incentives for donations. But in the case of "mystery
donors," the donor, by definition, does not take advantage of these
measures. This observation leaves me puzzled. There is something romantic there.
According to the article I quoted above "the donor feels at the same time
feelings of autonomy, pride and sense that the taxpayer is struggling to
feel".
Why then only (a small handful of)
Americans, rather than French people, practice anonymous donations? Three possible explanations come to my mind:
- Americans talk more about it? Unlikely
There
is for sure something like a fairy tale in these news items that American media
seem to appreciate particularly. These staging have some literal sense which
contrasts with French skepticism and the quasi-permanent quest for irony. I
think, however, that if similar facts existed in France, media would relate them
willingly as well.
- Americans are somehow "old
children" who love having "fun" and romantic staging? Perhaps in
part
But
this explanation hits the first point: if American media relate these facts, it
is primarily because Americans love these fairy tales. And those who want to
make donations can find particularly rewarding and fun to put on the clothes of
Robin Hood.
- Are
there more moral obligations in the USA? A sharper sense of gratitude and redistribution, especially among
believers (and we know that Americans are more religious than French)? Probably
I
have already underlined in other posts the importance of "gratitude"
in the United States.
I am always amazed to come across this word in the most unexpected articles,
(one of the last ones mentioning gratitude was on a website about ...
marketing!). Americans are globally more believers and less dependent on the Government
than we, French people, and think more to give back part of what they have
received...
As for
the small story, my husband with his typically French irony told me "I
think these Americans try to buy a place in paradise". What else could I add?!
Libellés : English
