Hello, first time poster here. I am hoping I've located the right forum for this topic, as it has to deal with economics for the most part.
Now I am not good at American history (or a lot of other history for that matter). I often consider myself a staple product of American public schools. Hence, I have converted into an autodidact. So this may be filled with a lot of ignorance or just plain misinformation, but it is a question I was hoping to get a different take on.
Most of the time when discussing the safety net of welfare, the arguments I always tend to bring up are charity as a counter balance. A friend brought up to me the fact that most people, especially the rich, tend to only donate toward programs and nonprofits that support things like education in political schools, promoting agendas, etc etc. Not many of them tend toward charities that help the poor.
But I argue that since we live in a system where people are taxed beyond belief in order to support a safety net, I argue that a person is less likely to donate to the kinds of charities to hold up poor and homeless people due to this fact. The government's already doing it, I'm paying for it, why should I give to charity?
Then the argument against this are times like the Industrial Revolution and the Great Depression. But I try to argue, and this is where I get lost due to my lack of historical knowledge, the Harry Browne point. That people in America have never been dying in the streets, starving, etc etc. It's a knee-jerk point to make, I admit.
I ask that they point out a time in American history where folks just let eachother go and starve in the streets and die. I know that government and business were in collusion during these periods, unfortunately I don't know how.
I know that charity is not a "fix-all" as they say, but I think it would be a hell of a counter to welfare in a totally free market. How well does my arguments hold up? Has there ever been a time in American history where people were 'dying and starving in the streets'? And if so, why?
Thanks in advance guys. =) References and books and whatever else you have on the subject would be greatly appreciated.
Now I am not good at American history (or a lot of other history for that matter). I often consider myself a staple product of American public schools. Hence, I have converted into an autodidact. So this may be filled with a lot of ignorance or just plain misinformation, but it is a question I was hoping to get a different take on.
Most of the time when discussing the safety net of welfare, the arguments I always tend to bring up are charity as a counter balance. A friend brought up to me the fact that most people, especially the rich, tend to only donate toward programs and nonprofits that support things like education in political schools, promoting agendas, etc etc. Not many of them tend toward charities that help the poor.
But I argue that since we live in a system where people are taxed beyond belief in order to support a safety net, I argue that a person is less likely to donate to the kinds of charities to hold up poor and homeless people due to this fact. The government's already doing it, I'm paying for it, why should I give to charity?
Then the argument against this are times like the Industrial Revolution and the Great Depression. But I try to argue, and this is where I get lost due to my lack of historical knowledge, the Harry Browne point. That people in America have never been dying in the streets, starving, etc etc. It's a knee-jerk point to make, I admit.
I ask that they point out a time in American history where folks just let eachother go and starve in the streets and die. I know that government and business were in collusion during these periods, unfortunately I don't know how.
I know that charity is not a "fix-all" as they say, but I think it would be a hell of a counter to welfare in a totally free market. How well does my arguments hold up? Has there ever been a time in American history where people were 'dying and starving in the streets'? And if so, why?
Thanks in advance guys. =) References and books and whatever else you have on the subject would be greatly appreciated.
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