Abstract

In September 2009, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett came to China to persuade millionaires in China to donate half of their wealth to philanthropy career. Media in China focused on this special banquet and stimulated a large scale of report on China’s philanthropy career. America is one of the richest countries in the world. During its two hundred years history, numerous millionaires donated their money and engaged themselves in the philanthropy career. Besides, people in America devote their time to charitable career. Not only students but also adults participate voluntary work in communities. However, millionaires in China do not take an active part in philanthropy career, though we have accumulated much wealth in the past three decades because of the policy of reform and open. When we compare the philanthropy culture between America and China, we can find that the philanthropy culture is deeply rooted in the America citizens. In America, people from every class, rich or poor, do their best to charitable career. The reasons are mainly their religious belief, their attitudes towards wealth and cultural tradition that could be dated back to the middle age in Europe. The religious factor is indispensable in American’s daily life. They believe that Christians should be thanksgiving and help each other. They believe that dead with post-mortal wealth is a kind of sin unless they donate their money to help the poor. What’s more, NGOs (non government organizations) play a complemental role and have unique functions. This paper aims at discovering the philanthropy culture in America and analyze the measures taken by famous NGOs in America so that we can learn the advanced philanthropy experience and construct our harmonious society.

Key words: philanthropy culture, America, China

摘 要

2009年9月，世界首富比尔盖茨携手沃伦巴菲特来华进行慈善募捐，希望中国富豪捐出一半的财富做慈善事业。这引起了媒体极大的关注，并引发了对中国慈善事业的探讨。美国作为世界上最富有的国家之一，在其建国短短的二百多年里，许多富豪投身于慈善事业。在美国，人们不但捐献财富，而且奉献时间在社区做义工。然而在我们国家，虽然在过去三十年里得益于改革开放我国已积累了一定量的财富，但是富豪捐赠的积极性并不高。通过比较中美两国的慈善文化，我们可以发现慈善文化深深扎根于美国历史。来自各个阶层的人们，无论是贫是富，都尽可能地做好慈善。其中原因主要有他们对基督教的信仰，对待财富的态度以及可以追溯到欧洲中世纪的文化传统。基督教的影响在美国人日常生活中无处不在。美国基督徒认为应当感恩于社会并互帮互助。在他们看来，死后拥有大笔财产是一种罪过，除非把钱用来帮助穷人。同时，非政府组织起到了不可或缺的作用。本文旨在探讨美国的慈善文化并分析非政府组织的慈善举措和功用，从而借鉴美国的慈善事业发展经验，以更好地构建我国社会主义和谐社会。

关键词：慈善文化；美国；中国