Checking out philanthropy examples over the years

Checking out philanthropy examples over the years

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Charity is not a contemporary phenomenon by any means, but has a rich and evolving history that stretches over 2 thousands years.

One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, immediately think about a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for handing out their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has held true for lots of thousands of years, with the first recorded instance of institutionalised philanthropy, along with the genesis of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over two thousand years ago in ancient Greece. Throughout this period, the word meant something more comparable to 'caring of one's fellow person', 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. Wealthy people were expected to give back to the society, helping to install the cash for repair work to public works like city walls or temples in addition to financing celebrations and other public celebrations. Being pinchpenny was not looked upon well, and if a wealthy person was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the society altogether.

Several entities have been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy people and celebrity philanthropists may 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 main charitable centers, both within the community and on bigger level projects. That altered with the coming of industry when rich individuals 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 commit more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured today, whether those foundations are created by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or companies like SJP.

The manner in which charity has actually been funded has actually changed a good 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. Now, 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. Wealthy people with savings account that would make a medieval 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 commitments, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.