2 ms·
> as when someone donates large sums to endow professorships in niche topics Linking to > When Strings Are Attached, Quirky Gifts Can Limit Universities Goin
by jimnotgym 3y ago
> as when someone donates large sums to endow professorships in niche topics
Linking to
> When Strings Are Attached, Quirky Gifts Can Limit Universities
Going on to say that Princeton is being forced to run lots of greek courses due to dead guy paying for it.
Well...duh...of course. Wasn't that the point of the donation? The donor obviously wanted to imagine Greek studies going on forever.
I presume after some period they could stop? Give the money away, or repurpose it.
For me this is an arguement against the whole concept of wealthy benefactors vs taxation. If you tax the money the government can spend it on the public good. If you let the rich guy keep it they will spend it on their own whims.
- hgsgm 3y agoBut also, If you tax the money the government will spend it on their own whims. If you let the rich guy keep it they can spend it on the public good.
- TrinaryWorksToo 3y agoAt least we have some control via elections and petitioning the government
- taskforcegemini 3y agobut either can be good or bad, so choosing one over the other isn't better by default
- jimnotgym 3y agoNo, but the default opinion seems to be that rich will spend it well and the government will waste it. This is plainly absurd. At least the people have a degree of democratic control over the government.