Checking out philanthropy examples across the eras

Checking out philanthropy examples across the eras

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From the ancient Greeks philanthropy has been central to a healthy and productive culture, and much the same is true these days.

One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, quickly consider a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for distributing their fortunes to causes that they appreciate. This is something that has actually been the case for many thousands of years, with the first recorded instance of institutionalised philanthropy, as well as the source of the philanthropy meaning and word, occurring over two thousand years ago in ancient Greece. During this period, the word meant something more akin to 'loving of one's fellow man', or humanism, than the restrictions of wealth one might apply to the term today, but nevertheless wealthy individuals played an important charity role in the culture. Wealthy people were expected to give back to the community, helping to put up the money for repair work to public works like city walls or temples along with funding celebrations and other public events. Being pinchpenny was not regarded well, and if a rich individual was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the community altogether.

Many different entities have been responsible for charity work throughout the ages. Although rich people and celebrity philanthropists might be viewed as the central charitable force in the contemporary world, that is not necessarily entirely true, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was religious organizations like the church that would have been the primary charitable centers, both within the town and on larger level projects. That changed with the coming of commercial enterprise when rich people ended up being more powerful, and then shifted again towards the end of the nineteenth century when foundations started to emerge that were much better organised and could devote more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured today, whether those foundations are built by grassroots groups, rich people, or businesses like SJP.

The way that charity has been financed has actually changed a good deal throughout the course of human history, moving between different entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has actually altered as different needs have emerged. Nowadays, there are a great many concerns that need to be dealt with, from increasing inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play a crucial role in that process. Wealthy people with checking account that would make a medieval kings blush have their part to play, but so do the firms that are the main hubs of financial generation in the 21st century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is establishing a foundation of their own or establishing ESG dedications, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.