Rob Reich, "Just Giving" (with Jane Mayer)

Rob Reich discusses his book, "Just Giving", at Politics and Prose.

Though acts of charity seem to have the moral high ground, Reich’s critique of philanthropy as it’s practiced under the current tax code finds it a threat to the public interest. Big Philanthropy allows the affluent and their foundations to use private assets to influence public policy—an act of power that’s largely unaccountable and that channels resources into pet projects and away from democratically agreed goals. Reich, a professor of political science at Stanford and director of Stanford’s McCoy Center of Ethics in Society, argues that charitable giving can serve the greater good if individual philanthropy is differentiated from private foundations, with the former supporting public resources such as education, science, and the arts, while the latter pursues innovations that enhance democratic experimentalism. Reich is in conversation with Jane Mayer, author of Dark Money.

Founded by Carla Cohen and Barbara Meade in 1984, Politics and Prose Bookstore is Washington, D.C.'s premier independent bookstore and cultural hub, a gathering place for people interested in reading and discussing books. Politics and Prose offers superior service, unusual book choices, and a haven for book lovers in the store and online. Visit them on the web at

Produced by Tom Warren