Ways philanthropy work has actually worked over the last 2 millennia

Ways philanthropy work has actually worked over the last 2 millennia

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Charity is not a modern-day 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, quickly think about 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 actually been the case for many thousands of years, with the very first documented instance of institutionalised philanthropy, along with the inception of the philanthropy meaning and word, occurring over two thousand years back in ancient Greece. During this duration, the word indicated something more similar to 'loving of one's fellow human', or humanism, than the limitations of wealth one might apply to the term nowadays, but nonetheless rich individuals played an important charity role in the culture. Rich people were expected to give back to the society, helping to install the money for repairs to public works like city walls or temples along with funding celebrations and other public celebrations. Being pinchpenny was not looked upon well, and if a rich person was not seen to be a benefactor, they could be ostracised from the community completely.

Various entities have actually been responsible for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy 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 main charitable centers, both within the community and on bigger level projects. That altered with the coming of industry when wealthy people became more powerful, and after that shifted 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 manner in which charity is structured today, whether those foundations are created by grassroots groups, wealthy individuals, 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 changed as various needs have emerged. Now, there are a great many issues that have to be resolved, from widening inequality to the environment crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play a crucial role in that process. Rich individuals with checking account that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, but so do the businesses that are the main centers of financial generation in the twenty-first century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is establishing a foundation of their own or developing ESG commitments, companies like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.