Warren Buffett's name has always been associated with large giving, and together with Gates, he has fueled a wave of global philanthropy. However, in the latest news, Ba Lao has changed his original intention and no longer donated all his property, but plans to leave 130 billion US dollars to his children! Why did the billionaire who once persuaded Chinese bigwigs to make philanthropic pledges suddenly change his attitude? The story behind this is wonderful.
The event passed
In 2006, Warren Buffett and Gates teamed up to launch a charity campaign that shook the world, calling on the world's wealthy to join their "naked donations". The so-called "naked donation" refers to the donation of most or all of an individual's property for public welfare. At that time, Buffett promised that his wealth would go mainly to charity, not to his children.
In the fall of 2010, Warren Buffett and Gates continued to follow suit, heading straight to China, targeting Chinese billionaires. They organized a gala dinner and invited China's top billionaires, including Jack Ma and Zong Qinghou. At the dinner, Warren Buffett and Gates showcased their philanthropic ideas and actions, trying to persuade more Chinese entrepreneurs to join their philanthropic ranks.
Mr. Ma's response at the time was interesting. He told Buffett that if he still has a huge fortune at the age of 80, he will choose to donate it all. But he also put forward his own views on charity, believing that simply donating money cannot completely solve the problem, and more importantly, it is more important to realize self-help and help others to achieve self-help, so that money can make money and help social development.
Zong Qinghou refused to participate in this banquet, and his reasons were also quite meaningful. He believes that true philanthropy is to make the business bigger and stronger, create more jobs, and let employees live a good life. In his opinion, this is the greatest act of charity.
Fast forward to 2024, and in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Warren Buffett announced a decision that shocked the world: he no longer plans to donate all his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, but decides to leave Berkshire Hathaway shares valued at about $130 billion to his three children to set up a new charitable trust.
This decision is undoubtedly a huge turning point in Buffett's giving career. On the one hand, his decision has raised questions about the belief in "naked donation"; On the other hand, it has also led to in-depth thinking about the form and meaning of charity. Warren Buffett's shift has triggered a reassessment of the relationship between wealth, family and philanthropy.
Warren Buffett's daughter Susan Buffett and two sons, Howard Buffett and Peter Buffett, will be the stewards of the estate. At the same time, this also means that Buffett's wealth inheritance will take a new form, not only the transmission of wealth, but also a continuation of social responsibility and corporate mission.
For the public, Warren Buffett's decision is not only a matter of wealth distribution, but also a major challenge to the philanthropic model of "naked donation". His shift could affect the future of global philanthropy and change the public's perception of billionaires' responsibilities and obligations.
After Warren Buffett's change was announced, there was naturally an uproar on the Internet, and various voices came and went. From support to criticism, netizens commented a variety of comments, making the discussion even more lively. Below, let's take a look at what netizens have to say:
Xiao Min said: "Lao Ba's operation is really surprising, didn't he say before that he would donate 99% of his property?" Why did you suddenly change your mind? Does the family have an opinion? ”
The netizen's comments represent the crowd that was confused by Buffett's sudden change of decision.
Lao Zhangtou: "People can spend their money as much as they want, can others manage it?" Besides, it makes sense to leave it to your children. ”
This comment reflects the support of a section of the population for the autonomy of individual property.
Science and Technology Xiaohui: "Ba Lao is going to open a new model of family charitable foundation, probably to use this way to ensure the sustainable and stable development of philanthropy. ”
This netizen tried to interpret Buffett's decision from a positive perspective.
Charity Wang: "I think Buffett is not necessarily thinking about philanthropy at a deeper level, or he wants to explore more diverse ways of philanthropy. ”
Some people are beginning to try to understand this change from a philanthropic perspective.
Financial Xiao Liu: "Warren Buffett may do this for tax strategy considerations, leaving his children to set up a charitable trust at the same time, which is a common operation in financial and tax planning. ”
This netizen focused on possible fiscal and tax planning.
Enthusiastic netizen Atong: "In fact, everyone ignores a problem, Buffett is very old, and he may want to see his wealth make a difference in his lifetime." ”
This comment proposes a new perspective that focuses on Buffett's age and personal emotional factors.
Little Youth: "It's really disappointing that the former role model suddenly changed his mind, and this is a blow to the faith of us young people. ”
Obviously, not everyone can accept such a change.
Anonymous user: "When I see this kind of news, I want to ask, are all these good deeds really for the sake of helping the world, or is it just for fame?" ”
It can be seen from these hot comments that Buffett's decision has sparked a wide range of public discussions, with a variety of views, some supporting, some doubting, some disappointed, and some trying to analyze from a professional perspective. These comments not only enrich the discussion of the event, but also reflect the mixed public perception of the billionaire's philanthropic behavior. In any case, Warren Buffett's decision certainly provides us with an opportunity to rethink the relationship between wealth, responsibility and philanthropy.