| Revision as of 04:39, 15 March 2004 edit205.188.209.105 (talk) History of Philanthropy← Previous edit | Revision as of 04:41, 15 March 2004 edit undo205.188.209.105 (talk)No edit summaryNext edit → | ||
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| '''Philanthropy''' involves the ] or ]ing of money to various worthy ]. It is seen as a way to directly effect change in ] without recourse to the bureaucratic mechanisms of ]. | '''Philanthropy''' involves the ] or ]ing of money to various worthy ]. It is seen as a way to directly effect change in ] without recourse to the bureaucratic mechanisms of ]. | ||
| In the early history of humankind, philanthropy was used to conceive of deities gifts to humans. Defined as love of mankind. In almost all of history, philanthropy is marked as a potential means to power, ego gratification or status within a group. Historcally, the expansion of political entities can be viewed from their philanthropies as instruments of building civic culture and in the vary definition of civil society. | |||
| 18th Century businessmen used philanthropy to gain greater social recognition and to capitalize their economic power ---New foundations were created--like marine societies which trained orphans for shipping careers--that served the economic and military interest of various nation-states. Middle class charity workers developed 'scientific philanthropy' during the late l9th and early 20th ce. As a model of effective giving and service which led to the professionalization of the field. | |||
| Judiasm and Philanthropy | |||
| Rendering justice(tsedeq in Hebrew) to the needy informs Jewish giving or good works(tsedaqah). Rites of giving were organized in ancient Jewish tradition and in BCE Jews provided chambers for the colelction and distribution of alms where donors could leave their gifts and beneficiaries collected the offering is a seperate room so that no one knew who gave or receive what gift. This anonymous giving was the second of the highest forms of charity according to Moses Maimonides(1135-1204 AD) in his writing of the Eight Stages of Tsedaqah | |||
| The highest form of giving was giving a person a job. | |||
| Greco-Roman Philanthropy | |||
| The roots of civic participation and philanthropy are found in the Greek and Roman peoples were they describe philanthropy as a compelling force in the building of power and social life of the time. | |||
| Philanthropy was also trustworthy action in diplomancy, honest negotiation of alliances and being honest to the requirements in treaties. Greek plays for example are illustrative of philanthropy at work. Wealth citizens provided the funds to have the play written, for the buildings to have it performed in and in turn were rewarded with prestige in civic life. | |||
| Roman efforts to systematize the practice of philanthropy and giving can best be seen in the works of the stoic philosopher Seneca in his work On Benefits in particular which was written about 60CE. His guidebook on giving tells the importance of the right kind of giving and the binding gratitutde that should be felt by receivers. 'No gift can be a benefit unless it is given with reason….thoughtless benefaction is the most shameful sort of loss'(Seneca, 1989,222) | |||
| Christian Philanthropy | |||
| Jesus fellowers distinguished themselves from Jews by the ecumentical charitable practices . The service of helping others is but above the observation of Jewish law requiring rest on the holy day. The Gospel of Luke communicates Jesus' command to love thy enemies and to give to every begger. The Christian God advocates a more universal charity as illustrated in the Good Samaritan parable and in the early period of Christian ideas defeats the self-promoting purposes seen in Grecco-Roman giving. | |||
| However, it isn't long and the church hiarchy uses philanthropy--food doles for example as a way to keep the needy in one local and not become a burden to a nearby community. Saint Augustine asserted that almsgiving had to have a purpose which included punishment to sinners. This action was a vehicle by which Christian communities used private giving to police the public sphere. | |||
| MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE PHILANTHROPY | |||
| Emporor Constantine's edit of 321 CE which gave the Catholic Church the power to receive gifts from testators enabled construction of a diverse number of charities ---including almshouses, orphanages, hospitals and monasteries. With the rising city populations after 1200 and an increase in the numbers of the poor --city fathers took the lead in discriminating more finely who was the deserving and underserving indignet. The poor suddenly were no longer the 'poor of Christ' | |||
| Urban lay confraternities --a club of ordinary citizens who joined together to provide needs or carry out philanthropic works -serrved the purpose of doing good. In Florence for example volunteers in great numbers used confraternities to patronize artists of all kinds and to sponsor various communal rituals during the 14th and 15th ce. | |||
| Early Modern Philanthropies | |||
| The Elizabeth Staute of Charitable Uses(1601) serves as the formost basis for philanthropic activity in the United States. It also serves as a regulatory piece of legislation to control the use of philanthropic capital for producitive uses. It is one of a long list of various edicts and parliamentary acts across Europe that set out to regulating charitable organizations and their property. | |||
| The modern philalnthropic sector is based in part upon the lingering obligatory sense of giving as justice as well as a requirement for building civic participation and a great society. | |||
| A ] is a person who engages in philanthropy. | A ] is a person who engages in philanthropy. | ||
Revision as of 04:41, 15 March 2004
Philanthropy involves the donation or granting of money to various worthy charitable causes. It is seen as a way to directly effect change in society without recourse to the bureaucratic mechanisms of government.
A philanthropist is a person who engages in philanthropy.
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