The opportunity costs of tsunami aid

Earlier this month Virginia Postrel accurately predicted that there would be a follow-up story on how “generosity toward tsunami victims is pulling money away from other, often local, charities.” As these stories go, you could do far, far worse than Daniel Gross’ Slate essay on the topic. The key paragraph: The outpouring of tsunami donations ...

By , a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast.

Earlier this month Virginia Postrel accurately predicted that there would be a follow-up story on how "generosity toward tsunami victims is pulling money away from other, often local, charities." As these stories go, you could do far, far worse than Daniel Gross' Slate essay on the topic. The key paragraph:

Earlier this month Virginia Postrel accurately predicted that there would be a follow-up story on how “generosity toward tsunami victims is pulling money away from other, often local, charities.” As these stories go, you could do far, far worse than Daniel Gross’ Slate essay on the topic. The key paragraph:

The outpouring of tsunami donations in early January 2005 probably won’t have much of an effect on overall giving levels. And it’s likely that many other extremely worthy charities will see their receipts fall. Is that disappointing? Maybe. But there’s a different lesson. What’s amazing about these very large figures—$480 million (and counting) for tsunami relief, $1.88 billion post 9/11—is that they are just a drop in the bucket of overall donations. They don’t really sway the overall numbers. A very large portion of U.S. charitable giving probably isn’t spontaneous. Lots of donations derive from bequests and estates, multi-year commitments from foundations and individuals, and annual gifts from corporations. So, the ability of any one event to inspire some fundamental shift in giving is limited.

Read the whole thing.

Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner

More from Foreign Policy

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping give a toast during a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping give a toast during a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.

Can Russia Get Used to Being China’s Little Brother?

The power dynamic between Beijing and Moscow has switched dramatically.

Xi and Putin shake hands while carrying red folders.
Xi and Putin shake hands while carrying red folders.

Xi and Putin Have the Most Consequential Undeclared Alliance in the World

It’s become more important than Washington’s official alliances today.

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

It’s a New Great Game. Again.

Across Central Asia, Russia’s brand is tainted by Ukraine, China’s got challenges, and Washington senses another opening.

Kurdish military officers take part in a graduation ceremony in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, on Jan. 15.
Kurdish military officers take part in a graduation ceremony in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, on Jan. 15.

Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing

The region once seemed a bright spot in the disorder unleashed by U.S. regime change. Today, things look bleak.