AGAINST

Wang Chuantao

Chinanews.com  

In modern philanthropic philosophy, charity is a practice of benevolence. The donor and the donee are equal. Getting aid is the basic right of the weak. In this sense, Chen's charity disregards the rights of the impoverished and is disrespectful to their dignity.

That Chen asked the recipients of his donations in Yingjiang County to take photos holding cash with him is a good example in point. Chen regards donors as superior to the donees and ignores the recipients' feelings when making donations. This kind of charity is also unprofessional, which means the donation is directly given to the recipients, and not to organizations. It doesn't comply with regulations relating to charity.

However, in the modern world charity is given through professional organizations. Donors give money to the organization that in turn gives the money to those in need. The donors regard helping the weak as their social responsibility and recipients do not know whom the money originated from. This kind of charity highlights people-oriented values. For those donors, giving is a source of joy. 

Therefore, Chen's charity diverges from the philosophy that people are equal and that charity is a social responsibility.

Deng Guosheng

Researcher on nongovernmental organizations

Chen's high-profile charity donations seem to be opposed to China's philanthropic philosophy. The problem of this way of doing charity lies in its inefficiency.

Moreover, instead of helping others, directly handing out cash may foster laziness in recipients, leading to worsening poverty. The most significant thing a charitable action embodies is to help people help themselves so that they can rid themselves of poverty.

As China's professional charitable organizations are young and at the developing stage, problems are inevitable. But we can't discard the organizations just because of the problems. The right attitude should be to face the problems and fix them.

Zhu Jiangang

Professor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong

I think Chen's approach to charity is improper.

Some foundations and philanthropists think that giving cash to poor people is the most direct way to offer love and care. They believe charitable organizations are unnecessary. However, those who have some basic knowledge of charity understand that this kind of charity will not change the fate of the weak, but will exacerbate social inequality both in material and spiritual aspects.

Also, the philanthropy can't be advocated as a cause involving wealthy people only. If so, the confrontation between the rich and the poor will be aggravated, because the masses of ordinary people will feel more isolated from society as they are excluded from the charitable cause. In addition, if charity shows no respect to the recipients' dignity, it may also provoke their dissatisfaction, and even hatred for the society.