(This is an archived page, from the Patterns of Power Edition 3 book. Current versions are at book contents).
There are moral feelings behind making both private and public donations to people in developing countries. People in wealthy countries feel a connection to those less fortunate, through their common humanity, and want to alleviate their suffering. Many respond generously as individuals, through charities, to requests for humanitarian assistance in the case of natural disasters.
Governments can also become directly involved, marshalling the necessary resources when the disaster concerned is on the other side of the world, but they would not take such steps unless they felt that the population agreed with the spending of public money. If people feel that their government is not behaving morally with regard to developing countries, they can put pressure on their politicians to do better – as described above (4.3.4).
For example, in 2010 The Guardian published an analysis of $2.4 billion promised in donations: Haiti earthquake aid pledged by country; that showed, however, that the funds received didn’t match the promises – suggesting that politicians had grabbed favourable headlines but hadn’t followed through.
Tax only supports a minimum level of government aid to people in other countries and many people feel that they want to give more and can afford to do so. Peter Singer’s philanthropic organisation, The Life You Can Save, argues that it is a moral duty for individual people to give charity privately, or to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or do volunteer work in developing countries.