[mgulaid]

Economists don't consider philanthropy a strong factor in economic development or advancement. Philanthropy IMHO has never contributed significantly to lift millions of people out of poverty. Although Gates Foundation and similar NGOs are doing wonderful deeds in Africa and the USA, it will not have the same impact as tax structure/incentives, trade policy, labor laws, access to education, immigration laws, etc. Also how do you define philanthropy, the work of the Koch brothers can be considered philanthropic in some peoples' opinions. Philanthropy is personal and political exercise.

I think philanthropy is great, but only few people are doing it. And those who do it, don’t do it effectively, do it too late, or focus on the symptoms rather on the causes, which are much harder to deal with. Philanthropy has become an accessory or a career suffix for those have got lucky.

Gates talks about the middle class in China and else where is getting bigger. True, but philanthropic has little to do with this improvement. Aggressive and central economic management, and free trade policy with the US helped above mentioned countries to sustain a healthy middle income class in China, Mexico, Colombia.