# Are there any countries without beggars ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 27, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103 "2013-03-27T15:37:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/21 "2013-03-27T17:56:03Z")
I met only one beggar while in Tokyo, and he was probably the most polite one I’ve ever seen. Well dressed, and he helped me find my way since I was having trouble figuring out my map, and carried on a nice conversation while he walked me to my destination. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/22 "2013-03-27T18:20:06Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > The entire place was built by the largest and most sophisticated pan-handling operation ever conceived. > [@Leaffan](#): > > You know, I was thinking the exact same thing as I typed that answer. 🙂 > [@HipGnosis](#): > > And they won’t tolerate any competition. **Moderator Note** Let’s refrain from religious jabs in GQ. No warning issued, but don’t do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/23 "2013-03-27T18:33:25Z")
Some beggars are too enterprising and/or subtle to appear to be who they really are, at least on the surface. I lived in Washington DC for three years and I’ve lost count of how many times I saw a “parking attendant” collect his “fee” from a tourist who parked on a city street (which they usually seemed perfectly happy to pay :rolleyes:). For some reason, these people did not seem to bother trying to collect from drivers with DC/VA/MD plates, perhaps they paid by the month instead. Also, there were often freelance souvenir dealers working the streets, peddling such wares as the free pamphlets they hand out at the information desk at the Smithsonian for a buck or two each - always a hot item. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/24 "2013-03-27T19:00:33Z")
> [@skdo23](#): > > Some beggars are too enterprising and/or subtle to appear to be who they really are, at least on the surface. I lived in Washington DC for three years and I’ve lost count of how many times I saw a “parking attendant” collect his “fee” from a tourist who parked on a city street (which they usually seemed perfectly happy to pay :rolleyes:). For some reason, these people did not seem to bother trying to collect from drivers with DC/VA/MD plates, perhaps they paid by the month instead. Also, there were often freelance souvenir dealers working the streets, peddling such wares as the free pamphlets they hand out at the information desk at the Smithsonian for a buck or two each - always a hot item. Heheh, I used to see a dude outside the Times Square station selling subway maps for a dollar. They’re free ten feet away inside the station. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/25 "2013-03-27T19:12:32Z")
> [@skdo23](#): > > Some beggars are too enterprising and/or subtle to appear to be who they really are, at least on the surface. I lived in Washington DC for three years and I’ve lost count of how many times I saw a “parking attendant” collect his “fee” from a tourist who parked on a city street (which they usually seemed perfectly happy to pay :rolleyes:). For some reason, these people did not seem to bother trying to collect from drivers with DC/VA/MD plates, perhaps they paid by the month instead. Also, there were often freelance souvenir dealers working the streets, peddling such wares as the free pamphlets they hand out at the information desk at the Smithsonian for a buck or two each - always a hot item. Before most of Dublin became pay or be clamped parking there were quite a number of individuals dubbed _lockhards_ who would “help” you park your car and promise to keep an eye on it in exchange for a few quid. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/26 "2013-03-27T19:35:47Z")
> [@skdo23](#): > > SI lived in Washington DC for three years and I’ve lost count of how many times I saw a “parking attendant” collect his “fee” from a tourist who parked on a city street How were they dressed? > [@](#): > > peddling such wares as the free pamphlets they hand out at the information desk at the Smithsonian for a buck or two each - always a hot item. [Street Sheets](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_Sheet) are a hot commodity in SF/Oakland. > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Before most of Dublin became pay or be clamped parking there were quite a number of individuals dubbed _lockhards_ who would “help” you park your car and promise to keep an eye on it in exchange for a few quid. We call them “extortionists.” As in, “better let me watch the car, so that nothing happens to it.” ---
**Author:** ![sidecar\_jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@sidecar\_jon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidecar_jon)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/27 "2013-03-27T20:06:20Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > What about Monaco? A place with a dress code for its streets and extensive surveillance to keep all the millionaires from harm, you really can wear them diamonds on the street there, any beggar would be ejected in short order… ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/28 "2013-03-27T20:45:25Z")
> [@HipGnosis](#): > > Saudi Arabia > Lots of street vendors, some of them selling anything but dirty sand, but no flat-out beggars. You’ve got to be kidding. When I was there in 1996, beggars were quite thick on the ground. They were all black, too, which doesn’t say much for Islam’s vaunted racial equality, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/29 "2013-03-27T21:06:27Z")
Do people in call centres count? ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/30 "2013-03-27T21:17:33Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > How were they dressed? I don’t remember exactly. They wouldn’t have been decked out in the standard issue woodland camo overcoat and hospital issued pajama bottoms, obviously, but they also didn’t wear anything that would suggest they were working in any official capacity. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/31 "2013-03-27T21:39:00Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I saw beggars in Zurich. Nah, that’s those French day-workers. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/32 "2013-03-28T00:07:58Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Vatican City. Depending on your definition of “country” Vatican City may not technically be a country at all. With no permanent citizens and an annual birth rate of 0 it’s more a sovereign organization than a country. Cecil specifically cited them as an example in his column about what defines statehood/countryship. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/33 "2013-03-28T00:19:05Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Nah, that’s those French day-workers. But they spoke German! (When they were sober enough.) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/34 "2013-03-28T01:16:44Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > What about Monaco? That was the one that immediately sprung to my mind. I certainly don’t recall seeing any on the fours trips I’ve made there. I guess if someone has had a _really_ bad time at the casinos they might need to beg for the cab fare home, but I never saw that happen. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/35 "2013-03-28T01:34:12Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Before most of Dublin became pay or be clamped parking there were quite a number of individuals dubbed _lockhards_ who would “help” you park your car and promise to keep an eye on it in exchange for a few quid. > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > We call them “extortionists.” As in, “better let me watch the car, so that nothing happens to it.” No such implication in Dublin. It was understood on both sides that the lockhard would not, in fact, hang around to watch your car; once the surrounding parking spaces were full he’d move on to somewhere with empty spaces, so he could “help” more people to park. I never met anybody who felt there was an implicit threat to your car if you failed to tip the lockhard. Lockhards were known by the second-hand bus conductor’s peaked caps that they acquired somewhere or other, and wore when plying their trade. In addition to offering supposedly useful advice as you were parking, they also provided the actually useful service of advising on the prevalence of parking wardens. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/36 "2013-03-28T05:19:29Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > In all my trips to Geneva and Bern, I never saw any panhandlers. They either don’t allow it there, or they provide for them. > [@friedo](#): > > I saw beggars in Zurich. I also saw beggars in Zurich. In Paris the beggars are infuriatingly organized. Since it was France, I’m assuming they have a union and go on strike for 30 hour begging weeks. They all had these little stacks of cards printed up in 8 different languages that told the exact same sob story about sick relatives in Albania. According the locals they were gypsies. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/37 "2013-03-28T05:23:17Z")
I’m amazed nobody mentioned the Worker’s Paradise of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea under the beneficient rule of Kim Jong-Un. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/38 "2013-03-28T05:34:34Z")
Maybe no Dopers have been to Pyongyang lately? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/39 "2013-03-28T05:40:29Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > No such implication in Dublin. It was understood on both sides that the lockhard would not, in fact, hang around to watch your car; once the surrounding parking spaces were full he’d move on to somewhere with empty spaces, so he could “help” more people to park. I never met anybody who felt there was an implicit threat to your car if you failed to tip the lockhard. I know, I know. I should say, they don’t threaten you, just that maybe it’s better to pay up. I don’t know if “squeegee men” are over there, guys who “clean” your car window first with dirty squeegee, and seek money after. Similar thing: you might pay them to get them away from your car > [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I’m amazed nobody mentioned the Worker’s Paradise of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea under the beneficient rule of Kim Jong-Un. **SILLY WESTERNER. NORTH KOREA HAS NO BEGGARS. MEN ON STREET WITH BEGGING CAN AND WEARING SHABBY ATTIRE OF CAPITALISM VICTIM ARE SENT BY GREAT EVIL AMERICA TO DISCREDIT MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND BENEVOLENT NATION OF DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA. DO PATRIOTIC DUTY AND REPORT BEGGING MEN TO PEOPLE’S BUREAU OF REEDUCATION.** ---
**Author:** ![Rama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ccd318/32.png) [@Rama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rama)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103/40 "2013-03-28T12:17:01Z")
> [@SecretaryofEvil](#): > > I also saw beggars in Zurich. > > In Paris the beggars are infuriatingly organized. Since it was France, I’m assuming they have a union and go on strike for 30 hour begging weeks. They all had these little stacks of cards printed up in 8 different languages that told the exact same sob story about sick relatives in Albania. According the locals they were gypsies. Nancy had a crazy amount of people sleeping in the streets when I was there a couple of years ago. Apparently they get kicked out of the bigger cities. > [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I’m amazed nobody mentioned the Worker’s Paradise of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea under the beneficient rule of Kim Jong-Un. According to the Kim’s or in [reality](http://www.snkr.org/stories/personal/personal.html)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-countries-without-beggars/654103.md?page=3)