Attempting a short chronicle of philanthropy through history

Attempting a short chronicle of philanthropy through history

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Charity is not a modern phenomenon by any means, but has an abundant and progressing history that extends over two thousands years.

One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, quickly think about a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for handing out their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has actually held true for many thousands of years, with the very first documented instance of institutionalised philanthropy, along with the inception of the philanthropy meaning and word, occurring over 2 thousand years back in ancient Greece. Throughout this duration, the word implied something more akin to 'caring of one's fellow person', or humanism, than the constraints of wealth one may apply to the term today, however nevertheless rich individuals played an important charity role in the culture. Rich people were expected to give back to the society, assisting to put up the money for repairs to public works like city walls or temples along with financing celebrations and other public celebrations. Being pinchpenny was not looked upon well, and if a rich person was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the society altogether.

Several entities have been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy people and celebrity philanthropists may be viewed as the central charitable force in the modern-day world, that is not always entirely correct, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was spiritual organizations like the church that would have been the primary charitable hubs, both within the town and on larger level ventures. That altered with the coming of industry when wealthy people became more powerful, and after that shifted again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations began to spring up that were much better organised and could dedicate more attention to getting things done. This is much the same manner in which charity is structured these days, whether those foundations are built by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or firms like SJP.

The way that charity has actually been funded has altered a great deal throughout the course of human history, moving in between various entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has changed as different requirements have actually emerged. These days, there are a great many problems that need to be addressed, from rising inequality to the environment crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play a crucial role in that process. Rich people with bank accounts that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, however so do the companies that are the central centers of monetary generation in the twenty-first century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is setting up a foundation of their own or developing ESG dedications, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.