Are large scale charity event for disaster relief in first world countries justified?

kerryman12

Japan is the case in point. As we all know Japan has recently suffered from a massive natural disaster. Tens of thousands have been killed and significant and widespread infrastructural damage has been caused. However Japan is also one of the most advanced economies in the world with a high standard of living. Though it may sound callus, can Japan not afford to rebuilt itself in due course?
Just to be clear I am not talking about first responders, specialist search teams/hospital ships etc. All possible immediate help should of course be provided.
The flip side of the coin for me would be Haiti. Again a truly massive natural disaster, many times larger in terms of lives lost - but this time in a country that can’t even provide clean running water to its population. Now that the world has moved on, what are the chances of Haitians ever reaching the same standard of living as people in Japan.
So in a nut shell should we be contributing to charity to rebuilt motorways in Japan or provide basic sanitation in Haiti……….

looksee

I am inclined to agree with what you are suggesting. However I don't think the amount of money sent is what matters, it is the sense of being able to do something on the part of the givers, and the moral support for the receivers. I suppose it is arguable that something more symbolic might be better received, but I have no idea what that might be.

kerryman12

The thing is though, I am not sure how well received a symbolic gift would be by people who have a open sewer running past their front door!!

However I don't think the amount of money sent is what matters, it is the sense of being able to do something on the part of the givers, and the moral support for the receivers

Fair point but how much practical good will that do?

looksee

I am talking specifically about sending money to a wealthy country where the amount that we could send would be relatively insignificant. Where a few thousand euro would pipe an open sewer, then certainly, do it.