The way philanthropy work has operated over the last two millennia

The way philanthropy work has operated over the last two millennia

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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 giving away their fortunes to causes that they appreciate. This is something that has held true for lots of thousands of years, with the first recorded example of institutionalised philanthropy, in addition to the source of the philanthropy meaning and word, taking place over 2 thousand years back in ancient Greece. During this duration, the word indicated something more akin to 'caring of one's fellow human being', or humanism, than the restrictions of wealth one may apply to the term these days, 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 festivals and other public events. Being stingy was not regarded well, and if a wealthy individual was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the society entirely.

Several entities have been responsible for charity work throughout the ages. Although rich individuals and celebrity philanthropists might be seen as the main 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 religious organizations 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 individuals ended up being more powerful, and then moved again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations began to emerge that were better organised and could devote more attention to getting things done. This is much the same manner in which charity is structured today, whether those foundations are created by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or firms like SJP.

The way that charity has actually been financed has altered a great 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 altered as various needs have actually emerged. Today, there are a great many problems that need to be dealt with, from rising inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will inevitably play a crucial role in that process. Rich people with bank accounts that would make a medieval kings blush have their part to play, however so do the firms that are the central hubs of monetary 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.