Attempting a short chronicle of philanthropy through the past

Attempting a short chronicle of philanthropy through the past

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Charity is not a contemporary phenomenon by any means, but has an abundant and developing history that stretches over 2 thousands years.

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 appreciate. This is something that has held true for many thousands of years, with the first chronicled 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 suggested something more similar to 'loving of one's fellow human', or humanism, than the limitations of wealth one may apply to the term nowadays, but nevertheless rich individuals played a crucial charity role in the culture. Wealthy people were expected to give back to the society, helping to install the money for repairs to public works like city walls or temples along with financing festivals and other public celebrations. Being pinchpenny was not looked upon well, and if a rich individual was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the community altogether.

Various entities have been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy individuals and celebrity philanthropists might be seen as the central charitable force in the contemporary world, that is not necessarily totally correct, 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 ventures. That altered with the coming of industry when rich individuals ended up being more powerful, and then moved again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations began to spring up that were much better organised and could commit more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured these days, whether those foundations are established by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or companies like SJP.

The manner in which charity has actually been funded has actually changed 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 various requirements have emerged. Now, there are a great many concerns that have to be attended to, from growing inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play an important 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 hubs of monetary generation in the twenty-first century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is setting up a foundation of their own or establishing ESG dedications, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are beginning to do so.