Ways philanthropy work has functioned over the last 2 millennia

Ways philanthropy work has functioned over the last 2 millennia

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Keep reading to discover the ways that philanthropy has developed over the last number of centuries, from who gives and how the work is done.

One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, quickly think of a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for giving away their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has been the case for many thousands of years, with the first documented instance of institutionalised philanthropy, in addition to the inception of the philanthropy meaning and word, taking place over 2 thousand years earlier in ancient Greece. Throughout this duration, the word indicated something more comparable to 'caring of one's fellow human', or humanism, than the constraints of wealth one may apply to the term now, however nonetheless rich people played an essential charity role in the culture. Rich people were expected to give back to the community, helping to put up the cash for repairs to public works like city walls or temples as well as financing festivals and other public celebrations. Being stingy was not regarded well, and if a rich individual was not seen to be a benefactor, they could be ostracised from the society entirely.

Various entities have been responsible for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy individuals and celebrity philanthropists might be viewed as the main charitable force in the modern-day world, that is not always completely correct, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was religious institutions like the church that would have been the main charitable hubs, both within the community and on bigger level undertakings. That altered with the coming of commercial enterprise when rich individuals became more powerful, and then moved once again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations began to spring up that were better set up and could commit more attention to getting things done. This is much the same manner in which charity is structured now, whether those foundations are set up by grassroots groups, wealthy individuals, or firms like SJP.

The manner in which charity has been funded has altered a lot 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 altered as various needs have emerged. Today, there are a great many concerns that need to be attended to, from increasing inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play an essential role in that process. Wealthy people with bank accounts that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, however so do the businesses 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, companies like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.