What is more commendable in a free country, making money or giving it away?
The old saying "it is more blessed to give than to receive" seems like it applies here...but it doesn't. That saying would answer the question, "what is more commendable, to take handouts or give handouts?" There is a large segment of our population who seem quite content to be on the less-blessed side of that equation. But that was not my question.
Wealth creation is a virtue when the way one creates wealth is by providing goods or services that others want or need at a price they are happy to pay. In a free economy, when I pay you money for an item you offer to sell me, I consider myself better off to have the item than the money. By creating that item and making it available to me so that I can be "better off" in my own judgment, not only have you helped me be "better off" but you have probably made a profit...you have created some wealth for yourself in the process. You might decide to give some of it away to help others in a way different from the way you helped me. That is charity.
Wealth creation is a necessary prerequisite to giving wealth away. You cannot with any virtue give what you do not have. Tell that to liberals, who pride themselves in giving away not their own money, but other peoples' money. There is no virtue in that!
John Stossel has a GREAT COLUMN HERE that discusses this topic in more depth, and I strongly recommend you read about how "Charity Begins With Wealth Creation."
