Reasons why philanthropic activities are as important today as ever before

Reasons why philanthropic activities are as important today as ever before

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Continue reading to uncover how the scope and purpose of charity work has actually changed since the ancient world of yesteryear.

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 need it most. For a lot of the most affluent individuals and organisations right now, charity is an opportunity to put their earnings towards a great cause. This is not just something restricted to the twenty-first century either, it has held true for thousands of years. Charity and benevolence were considered a main 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, indicating 'man-loving' in its original shape. 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 funding public celebrations. We might not call it a requirement as such these days, but those who do not engage with charity in any kind will certainly see their reputations suffer.

As one may expect of anything throughout two thousand years, philanthropy meaning has actually evolved throughout the ages, and so has its focus. Following the middle ages, the primary source of philanthropic responsibility moved from spiritual institutions like the church to rich individuals. Concurrently, the focus of philanthropy shifted towards the towns and cities rather from the impoverished countryside. Throughout the following centuries, entrepreneur undertook a sense of duty towards those in need, particularly throughout and after periods of war and turmoil which left numerous households struggling. Towards completion of the 19th century we began to see the establishment of philanthropic businesses like foundations to assist deal with big concerns, much like the one developed by SJP right now.

Throughout the most hard moments in human history, charity has constantly been there to provide an assisting hand to those in dire need. This was specifically true 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 competent. This is much the same structure as charity work takes now, with a network of companies and individuals interacting to finance and enact jobs, although the variety and scope of humanitarian projects is much more ambitious. Some foundations are handling huge global problems through their work, and corporate philanthropy is now the requirement of modern company practices with companies like Vanguard Group and Morgan Stanley contributing to the process.