The Politics of Charity examines the contemporary political role played by charity, as legally defined, in the developed democratic nations. It considers how this has come about, why it is now significant, what it is that is integral to the content and role of `charity¿ that allows it to hold such a pivotal political position and why this would seem to be non-transferable to undemocratic nations. It also identifies and assesses the political relevance of different types of charitable activity.