Is philanthropy a substitute for justice?

Nowadays the names of the billionaires’ figure more prominently in the media. In recent times the world’s richest man Elon Musk $374 billion and Bill Gates who is worth $173 billion who is rated as the fifth richest man in the world appears quite regularly in the media. Elon Musk known for having given huge sums of money for Trump’s political campaign in the recent elections. Less than four-month President Trump jettisoned Elan Musk because of some differences and Bill Gates says that a huge amount of his wealth be given as charity.
Along with them Jeff Bezos $222 billion, Mark Zuckerberg $222, Larry Ellison $181 billion come after Elon Musk and before Bill Gates in the ranking respectively. I was initiated fascinated the ways with which they come forward to donate moneys for different purposes—a hopeful of human nature. The questions that arise is: what makes them to donate or become active in Philanthropy in due course of time? In it part of human nature or what else? How come their nature of greed changed so dramatically?
The beauty in human nature we should see is that ‘moral ambition’ is a kind of cold shower—hopefully a refreshing one—that motives people to open up to a world which is filled with cut-throat competition. A recent study found that around 25% of people in developed economies believe that their jobs are socially meaningless. These are the people with high-levels of CVs. Those with no-skills and semi-skills are paid far less and can never go on strike as they are all contractual workers and in no time be sacked. Those with talents are not given opportunities.
Those who have understood the human nature and how it functions in favour of the rich and the powerful along with other members of civil society come out on streets keep questioning the wrong policies resulting in inequity and unemployment have been silenced with iron hands by the brute government machinery. They are the ones who are leading the struggles and demonstration across the world against forced occupation, wars, unemployment, decline of democratic principles and host of issues
I’m a firm believer in the principle of being ‘morally ambitious’ as long as it falls within the moral compos by taking care of ‘means and end’. For example, Nelson Mandela who worked as security guard in a mine prior to becoming one of the world’s greatest moral leaders. And so, the responsibility lies with those who are more privileged and powerful. Who would remember Bill Gates known for having promoted a particular brand vaccine during COVID-19 minting money that added more moneys to his wealth.
The wealthy and the looters of peoples’ money shall never be remembered in history. Only those with hearts who help the help in genuine ways be remembered. Undoubtedly everyone one can be morally ambitious—but those with more power and privilege have a greater obligation. The centrifugal principle that makes the statement is difficult is ‘ought to be morally ambitious’—a difficult proposition and mind-boggling postulate that we come across. In addition, creating moral society and ushering moral power comes out of dreams that we should be envisioning.
Right from the United States to India to whatever we come across that the rich pay far less taxes as against their earnings. They pay lower effective tax rates than the middle classes and lower one. The pattern and patronage the rich enjoy in the world have no justification. This is why I’m fed-up of billionaires who seemed to be giving part of their wealth towards their philanthropy. This is where the moral principle comes. They cheated the governments or they control the governments by their wealth or having donated huge sums of money so that in return the governments favours them which is highly abominable and thus is immoral
The world we live the growing billionaires’ class who should pay more taxes and then if they get into moral philanthropy then be appreciated. Philanthropy shall never question injustices? No, not all, because the ‘ends they envision or profits they accrued’ is due to unjust ‘means’, which lacks moral accountability and ethical credibility.
Dr. John Moahn Razu