这些数字说明了什么？

蒋继平

2016年6月14日

今天美国有线新闻网（CNN）的金钱频道（Money）登载了一篇美国人2015年的捐赠数据。我将原文拷贝如下，并做一些概要的翻译。

Americans donated a record $373 billion tocharity in 2015

美国人在2015年的捐赠达到3730亿美元的记录。

Americans have set a new record for charitablegiving.

美国人又创造了一个公益捐赠新记录。

U.S.individuals, estates, foundations and companies donated $373.3 billion in 2015,according to the annual report Giving USA.

根据[奉献美国]的年度报告，美国的个人，财团，基金会和公司在2015年一共捐赠了3733亿美元。

That's4% more than the previous record of $359 billion set in 2014.

这比2014 的记录提增了4%。

Individualdonors were, by far, the biggest source of charitable contributions, accordingto the report published by The Giving Institute and the Indiana UniversityLilly Family School of Philanthropy.

根据由奉献学院和印第安大学利莉家庭慈善学校发布的报告，到目前为此，个人捐赠是公益奉献的最大来源。

Individualgiving increased nearly 4% to $264.6 billion last year.

去年的个人奉献提升了4%，达到2646亿美元。

Meanwhile,donations from foundations jumped 6.5% to $58.5 billion and charitable bequestsrose 2% to $31.8 billion. Corporate giving totaled $18.5 billion, an increaseof 4%.

与此同时，基金会的捐赠提升了6.5%, 达到585亿；公益遗赠上升了2%，达到318亿。企业公司的捐赠总共达到185亿，提升了4% 。

What'sdriving the generosity? The report pointed to two factors: economic recoveryand stabilizing household finances.

是什么原因驱动了这份慷慨？这份报告指出两个因素：经济复苏和家庭财务的稳定。

Thereport said that religious organizations received more donations than any othergroup, taking in nearly $120 billion last year. Charities that promoteeducation ranked second, with donations rising 9% to $57.5 billion.

这份报告说宗教团体的捐赠比任何其他群体的捐赠多，去年的捐赠将近1200亿。给改善教育的公益奉献排在第二位，达到575亿，（比去年）提升了9%。

Donationsto international organizations also surged after two years of declines, rising17.5% to $15.8 billion. The report said the improvement was due to "morestrategic fund raising methods and increased focus on international issuesamong foundations."

给国际组织的捐赠，在前两年的下滑后，也激增了17.5%, 达到158亿。报告说这种改善得益于“各种基金会募捐方式的更加策略化和增加了对国际事件的关注度。

Thereport noted that charity accounts for about 2% of U.S. gross domestic product.

这份报告指出公益捐赠占到美国国内生产总值的2%。

CNNMoney (New York) First published June 14,2016: 8:37 AM ET

读了这篇报道，我立即联想到其他对美国社会现状的报道，尤其是美国家庭财务现状的报道。记得前不久看到一份报道，说美国大约一半以上的家庭在遇到重大变故时，拿不出救急的钱款。这个数目大概是1000美元以下，我具体记不清了。

从美国家庭财务现状和银行的存款来看，美国人相对于中国人，确实属于很穷的。美国大多数家庭的银行账户里的存款是很少的。可是，从公益捐赠的数字和比例来说，美国人好像比中国人慷慨的多。难道是我的错觉？