Attempting a quick chronicle of philanthropy through days of yore

Attempting a quick chronicle of philanthropy through days of yore

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Since the ancient Greeks philanthropy has been fundamental to a healthy and efficient culture, and much the same is true nowadays.

One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, immediately think about a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for giving away their fortunes to causes that they appreciate. This is something that has actually been the case for many thousands of years, with the very first documented instance of institutionalised philanthropy, along with the inception of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over two thousand years earlier in ancient Greece. Throughout this period, the word meant something more comparable to 'loving of one's fellow man', or humanism, than the constraints of wealth one may apply to the term these days, however nonetheless wealthy people played a crucial charity role in the culture. Wealthy people were expected to give back to the society, helping 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 pinchpenny was not regarded well, and if a wealthy individual was not seen to be a benefactor, they could be ostracised from the community completely.

Various entities have been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although rich individuals and celebrity philanthropists might be seen as the central charitable force in the modern-day world, that is not necessarily entirely accurate, 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 hubs, both within the town and on larger level undertakings. That altered with the coming of industry when rich people became more powerful, and after that shifted again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations began to emerge that were much better organised and could commit more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured nowadays, whether those foundations are set up by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or companies like SJP.

The manner in which charity has been funded has actually changed a lot throughout the course of human history, moving between various entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has actually altered as different requirements have emerged. Today, there are a great many concerns that have to be resolved, from rising inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play an important part in that process. Rich individuals with bank accounts that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, but so do the firms that are the central centers of financial generation in the 21st century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is setting up a foundation of their own or developing ESG commitments, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.