Ways in which philanthropy work has actually worked over the last two millennia

Ways in which philanthropy work has actually worked over the last two millennia

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Charity is not a modern-day phenomenon by any means, but has a rich 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 distributing their fortunes to causes that they appreciate. This is something that has held true for many thousands of years, with the very first documented instance of institutionalised philanthropy, along with the source of the philanthropy meaning and word, occurring over 2 thousand years ago in ancient Greece. Throughout this period, the word meant something more similar to 'loving of one's fellow human', or humanism, than the limitations of wealth one might apply to the term now, but nonetheless wealthy people played an essential charity role in the culture. Rich people were expected to give back to the community, 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 wealthy individual was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the society altogether.

Various 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 necessarily totally true, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was spiritual institutions like the church that would have been the primary charitable hubs, both within the town and on larger level undertakings. That changed with the coming of commercial enterprise when wealthy people became more powerful, and after that shifted once again towards the end of the nineteenth century when foundations started 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 now, whether those foundations are developed by grassroots groups, rich individuals, or firms like SJP.

The way that charity has actually been funded has actually changed a good deal 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 changed as various needs have actually emerged. These days, there are a great many concerns that have to be attended to, from widening inequality to the environment crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play an essential part in that process. Rich individuals with checking account that would make a medieval kings blush have their part to play, however 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, companies like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.