Gilbert K. Chesterton Quotes

Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary.

We should remember the poor.

The Hebrew word “tzedakah” … is translated as “charity” but … comes from the same root as the word for “justice”.

It is right to be forward in the defense of the poor; no system that is not just as between rich and poor can hope to survive.

You’ve got to help people that are downtrodden and poor, and I just think that that’s part of our culture. You’ve got to help people that can’t help themselves.

I am most supportive of organizations whose goal is to increase the living situation of those less fortunate than myself.

Heaven be their resource who have no other but the charity of the world, the stock of which, I fear, is no way sufficient for the many great claims which are hourly made upon it.

Generosity is the flower of justice.

If a thief helps a poor man out of the spoils of his thieving, we must not call that charity.

If all alms were given only from pity, all beggars would have starved long ago.

The world needs a person like me so that many other rich people will be able to follow my role model. If they do, many poor people will be helped.

I'm going to give away a lot more than half my money. I'd be happy to give that to the government if the government put together programs that were like I'm giving away to charity, in which I believe the money is effectively used to help people.

Poverty must be reduced not only for reasons of moral and justice, but also of security.

The billionaire who sits on his money and doesn't do anything for the common good - I'm not interested in that person.

Oh, how I would like a poor Church, and for the poor.

When I feed the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.

The war on poverty is not a struggle simply to support people, to make them dependent on the generosity of others. It is a struggle to give people a chance.

I did not allow the mighty to distress the common peasant or the poverty-stricken widow.

The variety and expenditure of the religious charities at Damascus are beyond computation. There are charities in aid of persons who cannot undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca, out of which are paid the expenses of those who go in their stead. There are other charities for supplying wedding outfits to girls whose families are unable to provide them, and others for the freeing of prisoners. There are charities for travelers, out of the revenues of which they are given food, clothing, and the expenses of conveyance to their countries.

As Justice gives every Man a Title to the product of his honest industry, and the fair Acquisitions of his Ancestors descended to him; so Charity gives every Man a Title to so much out of another’s plenty, as will keep him from extreme want, where he has no means to subsist otherwise.

The second part of all his revenues, which came yearly into his possession, and was included in the receipts of the exchequer, as we mentioned a little before, he, with ready devotion, gave to God, ordering his ministers to divide it carefully into four parts, on the condition that the first part should be discreetly bestowed on the poor

Charity and philanthropy are not justice.

We are the wealthiest country in the world. There is no excuse not to help poor people….When was the last time you saw poverty mentioned on television.

The general idea of the rich helping the poor, I think, is important.

I strongly believe that those of us who are privileged to have wealth should contribute significantly to try and create a better world for the millions who are far less privileged.