Attempting a quick chronicle of philanthropy throughout bygone times

Attempting a quick chronicle of philanthropy throughout bygone times

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Charity is not a contemporary phenomenon by any means, but has a rich and evolving history that extends 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 been the case for lots of 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 suggested 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 individuals played a crucial 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 community altogether.

Several entities have been responsible for charity work throughout the ages. Although rich individuals and celebrity philanthropists may be viewed as the central charitable force in the modern world, that is not always entirely accurate, 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 centers, both within the community and on bigger level ventures. That changed with the coming of commercial enterprise when wealthy people 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 devote 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 individuals, 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 different entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has actually altered as different requirements have emerged. Nowadays, there are a great many issues that need to be attended to, from widening inequality to the environment crisis, and charity will inevitably play a crucial part in that process. Rich individuals with savings account that would make a medieval kings blush have their part to play, however so do the businesses that are the main hubs 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.