Trying a quick chronicle of philanthropy throughout bygone times

Trying a quick chronicle of philanthropy throughout bygone times

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Philanthropy has long been a central part of a fair and thriving culture, but the way that it works has actually altered throughout the years.

One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, immediately think of a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for distributing their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has held true for many thousands of years, with the first chronicled instance of institutionalised philanthropy, as well as the genesis of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over two thousand years earlier in ancient Greece. Throughout this period, the word suggested something more similar to 'loving of one's fellow human being', or humanism, than the limitations of wealth one might apply to the term nowadays, however nevertheless 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 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 altogether.

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 contemporary world, that is not necessarily completely true, 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 ventures. That changed with the coming of commercial enterprise when rich people ended up being more powerful, and then moved again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations began to emerge that were much better organised and could commit more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured now, whether those foundations are developed by grassroots groups, rich individuals, or businesses like SJP.

The way that charity has 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. Nowadays, there are a great many issues that need to be addressed, from rising inequality to the environment crisis, and charity will inevitably play an essential part in that procedure. Wealthy individuals with savings account that would make a medieval kings blush have their part to play, but so do the firms that are the main hubs of financial generation in the 21st century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is establishing a foundation of their own or establishing ESG commitments, companies like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are beginning to do so.