A brief chronicle of philanthropy covering two thousand years

A brief chronicle of philanthropy covering two thousand years

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Charity and philanthropy have actually been crucial parts of a healthy and functioning society for thousands of years now.

The majority of us will acknowledge and appreciate the role that famous philanthropists play in helping the world in this day and age, passing on their hard-earned fortunes to assist those who require it most. For a great deal of the wealthiest individuals and organisations today, charity is an opportunity to put their earnings towards an excellent cause. This is not simply something limited to the twenty-first century either, it has held true for countless years. Charity and benevolence were deemed a central part of a good life and a healthy society, with the Ancient Greeks thinking philanthropy to be important to working democracy. It was here that the word itself originated, meaning 'man-loving' in its initial shape. It was viewed as a responsibility of the wealthy to share their wealth for the health and wellbeing of the society, with rich citizens aiding with public causes like the maintenance of temples and city walls or funding public festivals. We may not call it a duty as such these days, but those who do not engage with charity in any form will definitely see their reputations suffer.

As one might expect of anything throughout 2 thousand years, philanthropy meaning has evolved throughout the ages, and so has its focus. Following the middle ages, the primary source of humanitarian duty moved from religious organizations like the church to wealthy individuals. Concurrently, the focus of philanthropy moved towards the towns and cities rather from the impoverished countryside. Throughout the following centuries, entrepreneur took on a sense of duty towards those in need, especially during and after periods of war and turmoil which left numerous families having a hard time. Towards the end of the 19th century we began to see the establishment of philanthropic businesses like foundations to assist deal with big concerns, similar to the one established by SJP nowadays.

Throughout the most tough moments in human history, charity has actually constantly been there to provide an assisting hand to those in dire need. This was specifically real during the twentieth century, when personal philanthropy continued to support troops throughout the World Wars and their families who were left. During the 2nd World War in particular, foundations started to work together and ended up being more specialist. This is much the same structure as charity work takes nowadays, with a network of business and individuals interacting to finance and enact projects, although the variety and scope of philanthropic tasks is much more ambitious. Some foundations are taking on substantial worldwide issues through their work, and corporate philanthropy is now the requirement of modern organization practices with companies like Vanguard Group and Morgan Stanley contributing to the process.