Easy Jet founder Sir Stelios to give away majority of his wealth

[geared]

Unfortunately he's giving it to a charity that he controls so it's been strongly suggested it's mostly a tax dodge.

 

Facebook? Tax Dodge??

 

Whatever next

[spilldig]

As per title, the EasyJet founder has signed up to give away the vast majority of his wealth.

 

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/personalfinance/easyjet-founder-sir-stelios-signs-up-to-give-away-majority-of-his-wealth/ar-BBBFVw3?li=BBoPWjQ

 

Bill Gates is probably the most famous billionaire known for his philanthropy.

 

I credit many of those like Carnegie, Warren Buffet, and I believe Chris Evans who've taken the decision to use their own wealth to for philanthropic causes.

 

Perhaps rather than having the traditional Sunday Times Rich List where the wealth accumulated by individuals is celebrated, we should have a philanthropic list which celebrates people's giving?

 

I always think it's a bit of a two pronged fork, so to speak. What I mean is that if someone like Chris Evans, or say, a footballer gives to charity, good on them because they have been paid that money, but if it's someone running their own business I always have the feeling that they have only got rich by charging some people who may be struggling financially too much for their product or services or whatever.

 

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[andrejuan]

I always think it's a bit of a two pronged fork, so to speak. What I mean is that if someone like Chris Evans, or say, a footballer gives to charity, good on them because they have been paid that money, but if it's someone running their own business I always have the feeling that they have only got rich by charging some people who may be struggling financially too much for their product or services or whatever.

 

.

 

I feel totally differently.

 

People who run businesses are generally very hardworking, often highly stressed, and provide jobs and incomes for the vast majority of the population.

They are not sat at home pressing a button that has a label "charge people".

 

Footballers and DJ's (to name just two) are generally getting paid for doing something they find easy and very enjoyable, and the astronomical wages have to be paid by someone. In these two examples the BBC licence holders or advertisers in the case of commercial stations, and the football club supporters.

 

That said, I am a keen Philanthropist and applaud anyone who genuinely does the same.

 

However, we must remember that, just like the tax that the country receives, most charitable giving comes from people on modest incomes not the top 2%.

Ask yourself this. Which is the biggest gift?

 

£2 in a charity box from a pensioner.

£5000 from a premiership footballer

Edited May 31, 2017 by andrejuan

[Mister M]

Unfortunately he's giving it to a charity that he controls so it's been strongly suggested it's mostly a tax dodge.

 

---------- Post added 31-05-2017 at 08:26 ----------

 

 

And he's a legend as a result. Most of the rich that donate to charity setup their own egos, dodge a bit of tax but still appear like good people in the public eye even though their charity does next to no good to anyone (Bill Gates is probably the exception here, his charity does a tonne of amazing things but it's still a vanity project). For Warren Buffet to give his money to someone else's charity that he doesn't control is surprising and amazing.

 

That'd be a shame if it turns out to be a tax dodge.