The tsunami resulted in the largest international aid operation in history, driven by what Jan Egeland, head of humanitarian affairs at the UN, described as competitive compassion.

Competitive compassion between richer governments seems to be working. Germany, which cut foreign aid last year, has more recently followed Spain, France and the UK and set a deadline to reach the longstanding United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of national income. Japan, which has also been cutting aid, has backed its campaign for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council by promising to double assistance to Africa.

On the other hand, publicizing a particular instance of good inspires competitive compassion. The next person's charity somehow doesn't count for much unless we write about it, too.