Religious Conservatives More Generous than Secular Liberals

Both liberals and conservatives claim to care more about the poor. But which group is backing up that claim with cash? Arthur Brooks' examines this in his new book, "Who Really Cares."

A regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal says there is a huge divide between those who give to charity and those who don't. In his new book "Who Really Cares," Arthur Brooks documents what he calls the "Right-Left charity gap" between conservatives and liberals when it comes to donating to charities.

For his new book Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism, Arthur Brooks spent years researching data on the giving habits of conservatives and liberals. Brooks says when he began his research, he expected to find proof that liberals are the more generous group in America. But his findings show that conservatives are more generous in every way -- from volunteering, to donating blood, to giving money.

For example, homes headed by a conservative gave 30 percent more money to charity in 2000 than liberal families. Religious upbringing, he says, played a key role in the findings.

"Conservative households are disproportionately religiously observant," he says. "They take their faith more seriously, typically." But he is quick to clarify that that does not mean a person cannot be both a liberal and religious.

"Now there are lots of religious liberals out there," Brooks says, "but there are three times more religious conservatives than there are religious liberals in America today -- and that's driving the biggest part of the Right-Left charity gap."

Brooks explains that, according to his research, a household headed by a conservative, on average, gives 30 percent more dollars to charity than does one headed by a liberal -- despite earning six percent less income. He finds that significant.

"That's an important finding because that goes contrary to our intuition and the stereotypes," he admits; "but it turns out it's not because of the politics -- the main reason for that is that conservatives are disproportionately religiously observant ...."

Brooks also found that those who give regularly to charity are, on average, happier and healthier than those who don't.

Religion News Service notes the author's take a commonly heard liberal mantra on the topic of helping the needy. "For too long, liberals have been claiming they are the most virtuous members of American society," he writes. "Although they usually give less to charity, they have nevertheless lambasted conservatives for their callousness in the face of social injustice."

Another observation from Brooks' findings: liberals typically want everyone's tax dollars to support government entitlement programs -- but are hesitant to give their own money to those same programs, even when the government subsidies are inadequate.

In the introduction to his book, the writer/author admits he was taken back by his own findings. "These are not the sort of conclusions I ever thought I would reach when I started looking at charitable giving ... 10 years ago [in graduate school]. I have to admit I probably would have hated what I have to say in this book."

The former Democrat and Republican, who now considers himself an Independent, also admits he expects some flak for reporting his findings. "I know I'm going to get yelled at a lot with this book," he tells Religion News Service. "But when you say something big and new, you're going to get yelled at."

Source: American Family News Network

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[Keysteeze]

The 10% tite to the church is not considered in these statistics. So yes, religious people do actually give more, for whatever reason(s). Secularist would dispute the faith/philanthropy correlation, just like the religious will dispute the non-belief/education correlation. People love to accept things that are flattering to them, and try to dismiss them when they are not.

[Kiahsobyk]

This is great testimony to the fact that just because someone tacks the word "progressive" on to their belief system, doesn't mean they embrace progress. Likewise someone who claims that they care more for the poor have done only that--claimed caring, rather than proving it.

Ask why it is that making an accusation of greed against someone carries the assumption that the accuser is somehow generous.

[govrom12]

@nym685 No, poor people don't have the incentive or drive to better their lives because the Democratic Party needs people buying into the class warfare act to stay afloat as a viable political institution. I don't care what wealthy people make and neither should anyone else. A ton of lefties make a boatload of money but I don't care because it's their money not mine. Take responsibility for your own lives and stop worrying what incomes the wealthy make. We'll be a better country for it.

[doubleKlutch]

@Keysteeze "Secularist would dispute the faith/philanthropy correlation, just like the religious will dispute the non-belief/education correlation. People love to accept things that are flattering to them, and try to dismiss them when they are not."

I accept both those correlations, which is why I am not religious. I prefer to be pro-education and take a hit on charity compared to the other way 'round.

Choosing charity over education is like stabbing somebody and then giving them a band-aid.

[oloompop]

@CountArtha and also hold 97.5% of the wealth in the nation. Oh man, how generous of them to be giving away some money here and there.

[Tuathalful]

So right-wingers have more money because their parasites who need to be right-wing to justify their parasitism to themselves, & thanks to corrupt capitalist government can escape their duty to pay tax through the symptom of an systemically unjust society know as charity. The Right only care about their tribe & themselves; if u hav any experience with religious charies you know they are mostly disgusting, condescending capitalist parasites trickling on ppl they hate to buy a way into heaven.

[nym685]

This is a myth. Conservatives think all poor people are lazy. That's why they don't want welfare, and other govt programs designed to help those who need it the most.

[dex1391]

Does this REALLY shock anyone?