Continue reading to find out how the reach and focus of charity work has altered since the ancient world of yesteryear.
The majority of us will acknowledge and value the role that famous philanthropists play in assisting the world in this day and age, passing on their hard-earned fortunes to help those who require it most. For a great deal of the wealthiest people and organisations nowadays, charity is a chance to put their revenues towards a good cause. This is not simply something limited to the 21st century either, it has held true for countless years. Charity and benevolence were considered a central part of a good life and a healthy society, with the Ancient Greeks believing philanthropy to be essential to operating democracy. It was here that the word itself came from, meaning 'man-loving' in its initial form. It was viewed as a responsibility of the wealthy to share their wealth for the health and wellbeing of the community, with wealthy residents helping with public causes like the maintenance of temples and city walls or financing public festivals. We might not call it a duty as such right now, however those who do not engage with charity in any type will definitely see their reputations suffer.
As one might anticipate of anything throughout 2 thousand years, philanthropy meaning has progressed throughout the ages, and so has its focus. Following the middle ages, the main source of humanitarian duty moved from spiritual institutions like the church to wealthy people. At the same time, the focus of philanthropy moved towards the towns and cities rather from the impoverished countryside. Throughout the following centuries, business owners undertook a sense of duty towards those in need, particularly throughout and after durations of war and upheaval which left lots of households struggling. Towards completion of the 19th century we began to see the establishment of philanthropic businesses like foundations to help handle huge problems, just like the one established by SJP these days.
Throughout the most hard moments in human history, charity has constantly been there to lend an assisting hand to those in dire requirement. This was especially true throughout the twentieth century, when personal philanthropy continued to support troops throughout the World Wars and their households who were left. During the 2nd World War in particular, foundations started to work together and became more competent. This is similar structure as charity work takes right now, with a network of business and people working together to fund and enact tasks, although the variety and scope of philanthropic projects is much more ambitious. Some foundations are handling huge worldwide concerns through their work, and corporate philanthropy is now the standard of contemporary company practices with companies like Vanguard Group and Morgan Stanley contributing to the process.