Trying a short chronicle of philanthropy through bygone times

Trying a short chronicle of philanthropy through 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, instantly 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 many thousands of years, with the very first documented instance of institutionalised philanthropy, along with the genesis of the philanthropy meaning and word, taking place over two thousand years ago in ancient Greece. Throughout this period, the word meant 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, but nonetheless wealthy individuals played a crucial charity role in the culture. Rich people were expected to give back to the society, helping to put up the money for repairs to public works like city walls or temples along with funding festivals and other public events. Being stingy was not regarded well, and if a rich person was not seen to be a benefactor, they could be ostracised from the community 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 correct, 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 19th century when foundations began to emerge that were better set up and could devote more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured today, whether those foundations are set up 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 altered as different needs have actually emerged. Today, there are a great many problems that need to be dealt with, from growing inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play a crucial role in that procedure. Rich individuals with savings account that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, but 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 establishing ESG dedications, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are beginning to do so.