Samaritan's Dilemma refers to a dilemma in the act of charity. It hinges on the idea that when presented with charity, in some location such as a soup kitchen, a person will act in one of two ways: using the charity to improve their situation, or coming to rely on charity as a means of survival.
The argument against charity frequently cites the Samaritan's Dilemma as reason to forgo charitable contributions. It is also a common argument against Communism and Socialism, claiming that state aid is equivalent to charity, and that the beneficiaries of such aid will be slothful or otherwise negligent members of society.
Some critics deny the dilemma exists, arguing there is no connection between charity and the incentive to improve one's life. Rather, many people rely on charity to survive, and a dependency arises from necessity rather than an exploitation of human kindness.
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