A recent article in The Age by Maria Tumarkin raises some interesting questions about motivations for giving. There are often a range of contradictory motivations involved in an act of giving: empathy and self-interest, altruism and narcissism, grace and guilt. Giving of aid by wealthy countries to poor countries is often regarded partly as an attempt to assuage the moral guilt of the depredations wrought by colonialism and the feeling that in some way our wealth has come at the expense of others.
Donors of large gifts often seek to have monuments commemorating their generosity, so that a gift becomes a purchase transaction in which the donor is buying recognition. Sometimes what is cast as generosity is mixed with a form of advertising, such as sports sponsorships. A donor usually expects at least a psychological reward in the form of the acknowledgement and gratitude of the recipient. In some cultures it is assumed that donors are eager to give gifts because they are purchasing rewards in heaven.
One of the problems with giving is that, because it is supposed to be an act of sacred goodness, it is somewhat hard-hearted to try to measure its effectiveness. However, giving has unintended negative effects far more frequently than donors realise. Some argue that much of the foreign aid given to Africa has led to dependence and is part of the problem, rather than part of the solution to poverty. Successful giving is a difficult skill.