

  Freakonomics Quorum: The Economics of Street Charity - prakash
http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/09/freakonomics-quorum-the-economics-of-street-charity/#more-1726

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dude000
Imagine a world where everyone gave "street charity"...

There would be no more incentive to work, to invest in education, to be
productive. The economy would crumble. So do your part in making the world a
better place by not giving those $10 ;).

Also, giving money to the homeless is a zero-sum transaction: no wealth is
created, only transfered. Much better investing the money in a startup.

~~~
MaysonL
Grameen bank has a program which lends street beggars capital to do door-to-
door sales: it works, both for the beggars and provides service for the
customers. Of course, the beggars they are dealing with are not alcoholic.

