美国高等教育捐赠文化透视

An analysis of American College Donation Tradition

本文在简要回顾美国悠久的慈善传统的基础上,分析了美国高校捐赠文化的历史、宗教以及其他方面的原因,认为基督教信仰不仅仅是美国人努力创造财富的原动力,也是他们因罪富而馈赠个人所有于社会的根本原因,同时也是捐赠高等教育的出发点;另外,工业革命后的实用主义哲学助推了美国人兴资办学的热诚;最后,规范的捐赠制度和法规,确保了美国高校捐赠的健康发展。美国高校捐赠资金庞大,作用突出,对我国高等教育在资金筹措方面有积极的启发和借鉴作用。

Based on a brief review of American donation tradition,the paper analyzes the driving forces of American college donation,namely its relationship with Christianity,Americans’ rational enthusiasm for education and encouraging laws for donation.It argues that Christian original sin culture,popularity of pragmatism after Industrial Revolution in US and effective philanthropic system all contribute to the prosperity of American college donation undertakings.Meanwhile,given the huge quantity of American college donation and the unique role it plays in creating world-class universities,the American college foundations should be good examples for Chinese counterparts.