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It is a big mistake to think that merely paying taxes is a sufficient substitute for donations. Governments are like the biggest of big companies: they tend to

It is a big mistake to think that merely paying taxes is a sufficient substitute for donations. Governments are like the biggest of big companies: they tend to be very conservative about what they'll fund. Individual donors and small foundations play a crucial role in funding the sort of risky outliers that new ideas come from.

matt4077 9y ago
Voluntary donations are important, which is why it's so sad to see them diminished in the US (the increase i the standard deduction makes donations taxable for 80%+ of the population). Donations do have blind spots, though: They rarely go through the sort of assessment that is required for public spending. They are also susceptible to individuals' subjective motivations. I know of one charity caring for stray cats financed mostly by the estates of wealthy widows. Meanwhile, nobody donates to rehabilitation efforts of middle-aged sex offenders.
lozenge 9y ago
There is also something to say for the continuous, reliable stream of spending that is permitted by taxes. The world can't run on risky outliers alone. Actually, it's exactly the reliability of SS/medicare/etc that make people take it for granted and give it less attention than its dollar value would suggest. People can plan for it to be around in 20 years which can't be said for charity schemes.
- montrose 9y ago
  That's true; nor are donations a sufficient substitute for taxes.
claudius 9y ago
While individual donors and foundations may play some role or another, nearly all risky outliers with new ideas are funded by taxes, not random individuals. The number of private research institutes is extremely limited (in particular in Europe, slightly less so in the US). Once ideas are less risky to pursue, industry is very happy to adapt and fund them, but the initial kickstart is nearly always paid for by public money.
simias 9y ago
It's true but I'd prefer my money to go to my democratically elected government in the form of taxes rather than some multinational company operating from an other continent. If on top of that said company wants to donate money to charitable causes then be my guest, but it should be on top, not instead.
- ende 9y ago
  Well fortunately for you, companies don’t collect taxes.
s17n 9y ago
This is the opposite of true. Governments are the only entities that seem to be willing to fund basic research. And he department of defense, in addition to funding things like DARPA that have built the world as we know it, has proven willing to fund completely insane stuff.

matt4077 9y ago

Voluntary donations are important, which is why it's so sad to see them diminished in the US (the increase i the standard deduction makes donations taxable for 80%+ of the population). Donations do have blind spots, though: They rarely go through the sort of assessment that is required for public spending. They are also susceptible to individuals' subjective motivations. I know of one charity caring for stray cats financed mostly by the estates of wealthy widows. Meanwhile, nobody donates to rehabilitation efforts of middle-aged sex offenders.

lozenge 9y ago

There is also something to say for the continuous, reliable stream of spending that is permitted by taxes. The world can't run on risky outliers alone. Actually, it's exactly the reliability of SS/medicare/etc that make people take it for granted and give it less attention than its dollar value would suggest. People can plan for it to be around in 20 years which can't be said for charity schemes.

montrose 9y ago
That's true; nor are donations a sufficient substitute for taxes.

claudius 9y ago

While individual donors and foundations may play some role or another, nearly all risky outliers with new ideas are funded by taxes, not random individuals. The number of private research institutes is extremely limited (in particular in Europe, slightly less so in the US). Once ideas are less risky to pursue, industry is very happy to adapt and fund them, but the initial kickstart is nearly always paid for by public money.

simias 9y ago

It's true but I'd prefer my money to go to my democratically elected government in the form of taxes rather than some multinational company operating from an other continent. If on top of that said company wants to donate money to charitable causes then be my guest, but it should be on top, not instead.

ende 9y ago
Well fortunately for you, companies don’t collect taxes.

s17n 9y ago

This is the opposite of true. Governments are the only entities that seem to be willing to fund basic research. And he department of defense, in addition to funding things like DARPA that have built the world as we know it, has proven willing to fund completely insane stuff.