With the sociologist Jean Viard, research director at the CNRS, we are now talking about the generosity of the French. We are often encouraged to give, as with the Telethon, as for many different causes. And what must be remembered is that the French respond globally, including in times of crisis. The second annual barometer of solidarity, which was published last spring, already confirmed that the French wanted to give more, in the context of the health crisis.
franceinfo: Does that surprise you and how do you explain it, Jean Viard?
Jean Viard: But we are a society where 30% of people are in an association, and where there are many who give. There are about four and a half million French families who give regularly, and about 110,000 businesses. Basically all this generates about 8 or 9 billion, 5 billion for individuals, and 3 and a half billion for businesses.
It is at the same time a lot, and it is that 4 and a half million families, there are many of us. In 2020, there was an increase in donations. So, maybe not in the Telethon, because indeed, the Telethon is a close link, there are games, all that, and obviously, that had disappeared. But there is one thing that is very striking, is that the subscription and direct debit systems are more and more important in this business, and they are the ones who give the most, and on top of that you don’t. never stop. So from time to time you take a subscription for an association or a cause etc. then it lasts every year.
On average, in direct debits, people give 149 euros per year, when it’s online, it’s 126 euros. And when it is by mail with a check, it is 80 euros. It is also a question of social circles, hyper-digitized circles and then less digitized ones. That gives you an order of magnitude of the situation, but afterwards, not everyone gives. It depends on people, ages and all that.
Overall, would you say that France is a generous country, with a lot of solidarity, and perhaps even with a model of solidarity in France, you spoke of the strong associative fabric, there are also all the tax incentives? . Is it a French model?
For theFiscal incentives, we had lost tax deductions with the abolition of the ISF. So, there have been donations that have decreased, even if indeed, we are each entitled to a 1,000 euros deduction, it must be remembered, because many people do not know it, it is one of the elements of bait , because half it is the State which gives in reality.
Which gives ? 62% are people who have religious practices, they are more graduates, more people over 50, and more women. And I would say it’s the traditional solidarity that we have a bit in images, films, the Church, etc. Charity remains true for a bit. It is still linked to the religious question. And then, it’s a little over-represented in graduate circles. We often say: the poor give more than the rich … It’s complicated, it’s not totally obvious.
The French who say they are more inclined to give in the context of this health crisis, you told us a lot that it had brought the French together. It makes us aware of the plight of the people who live next to us. Does that make sense to you?
Yes, but that is true. In addition, we all felt that there was a need to do it. In addition, there are gifts that we do not see, it is the gift of time for his elders, the gift of time for a disabled child, that too, it is an immense intra-family donation, it is not necessary to forget it. In 2020, we gave 22% more. So, it is clear that there was a “gift effect”, as there was the effect of people applauding on the balconies, etc.
Afterwards, we have to see the evolution of the subjects: first we have historically given for the protection of children, and then for poverty, and even today, the first subject is the protection of the child. childhood, after that is poverty. And then, little by little, there is the protection of animals and then after the protection of the environment.
These are evolving subjects, and what is surprising is that young people are more willing to give for urgent causes, they are made aware of an event, of a one-off fundraising. And they are more aware of animal protection than their elders. There are also these evolutions by generation, which are interesting elements for a sociologist, to try to look at what, basically, constitutes solidarity for society.