Do wealthy people have a moral obligation to help the poor?

Jul 01, 2013 Letters

Dear Editor,
Someone wrote these words: “To ignore the plight of starving people is as morally reprehensible as failing to save a child drowning in a pool because of the inconvenience of getting one’s clothes wet.”
I want to raise a question for discussion: Do wealthy people have a moral obligation to help the poor? I believe I have a moral obligation to help the poor because I have been blessed with more than enough and what I have been blessed with is meant to be shared with other people who are less fortunate than I.
But what is the extent of our duty to the poor? Many have argued, all persons have a moral obligation to prevent harm when doing so and would not cause comparable harm to themselves. It is clear that suffering and death from starvation are harms.
Someone said, “Allowing a person to die from hunger when it is easily within one’s means to prevent it, is no different, morally speaking, from killing another human being.” The objection that I didn’t intend for anyone to die is irrelevant. If I speed through an intersection and, as a result, kill a pedestrian, I am morally responsible for that death whether I intended it or not. Thus, I believe rich people have a moral obligation to aid poor people.
I’d like to see most of the wealthy Guyanese begin a Giving Pledge. A Giving Pledge is an agreement by millionaires and billionaires to give away half of their wealth. For instance, presently, in America, Bill and Melinda Gates are asking wealthy people around the world to join the Giving Pledge. So far, almost 100 millionaires and billionaires have joined the Pledge. The Gates Foundation has already given billions of dollars to the poor and has saved thousands of lives.
Why do I believe that it’s a good thing to join the Giving Pledge? Speaking on what to do with money, one of the members of the Giving Pledge said, “You can only do three things with money: you can give it to your children, you can give it to your executor to give away or you can give it away while you’re alive. And my theory is, it’s much better to give it away while you’re alive. How much can you give to your children before you have completely spoiled and ruined them? Very few people who inherit gigantic sums have gone on to change the world for the better.”
When it comes to giving, Jesus said to his disciples,” For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me. Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you needing clothes and clothe you? Then Jesus will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’.”
I believe the lesson that Jesus is teaching the wealthy here is that when they give to the poor, ultimately, they’re really giving to him. Thus, I conclude, Guyana is a poor country with thousands of poor people. Since I am well off, I am morally obligated do something to help the poor. And if you believe that you have a moral obligation to help the poor in Guyana and you’re a wealthy, let us start a Giving Pledge.
Anthony Pantlitz

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