Trying a quick chronicle of philanthropy through history

Trying a quick chronicle of philanthropy through history

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Since the ancient Greeks philanthropy has actually been key to a healthy and efficient culture, and much the same holds true today.

One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, immediately think of a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for distributing their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has actually been the case for many thousands of years, with the very first documented instance of institutionalised philanthropy, in addition to the origin of the philanthropy meaning and word, taking place over two thousand years earlier in ancient Greece. During this duration, the word meant something more similar to 'caring of one's fellow person', or humanism, than the constraints of wealth one might apply to the term now, but nevertheless rich individuals played an essential charity role in the culture. Rich people were expected to give back to the society, assisting to put up the money for repair work to public works like city walls or temples as well as funding celebrations and other public celebrations. Being stingy was not regarded well, and if a wealthy person was not seen to be a benefactor, they could be ostracised from the society altogether.

Various entities have actually been responsible for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy people and celebrity philanthropists might be seen as the main charitable force in the modern-day world, that is not necessarily completely accurate, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was religious institutions like the church that would have been the primary charitable centers, both within the community and on larger level ventures. That altered with the coming of industry when wealthy people ended up being more powerful, and after that shifted again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations started to emerge that were better organised and could dedicate more attention to getting things done. This is much the same manner in which charity is structured nowadays, whether those foundations are developed by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or firms like SJP.

The way that charity has been financed has actually altered a great 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 various needs have emerged. These days, there are a great many problems that need to be resolved, from widening inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play an essential part in that procedure. Rich people with bank accounts that would make a medieval kings blush have their part to play, but so do the businesses that are the central hubs of monetary generation in the 21st century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is establishing a foundation of their own or developing ESG dedications, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.