Friedman Fundamentals: The Government's Effect On Charitable Giving

The greatest period of charitable activity occurred in the 19th century, when government spending was small as share of the economy. However, once the government spending grew, it diminished the incentives for individuals to give voluntarily. When people believe the government should take care of those in need, charitable giving falls.

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Additional resources:

Watch “What Do We Owe Our Country?” with Milton Friedman. Available here:

Read Milton Friedman’s essay, “Why Government is the Problem.” Available here:

Read “Don't Confuse Government Support with Charity” by David Henderson. Available here:

Listen as Russ Roberts talks with Dan Pallotta, Chief Humanity Officer of Advertising for Humanity and author of Uncharitable. Pallotta argues that charities are deeply handicapped by their culture and how we view them. Available here:

Read “The End of Charity?” by Richard Epstein, available here:

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