Philanthropy has actually long been a central part of a fair and thriving culture, but the way that it works has actually altered for many years.
One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, instantly think of a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for distributing their fortunes to causes that they appreciate. This is something that has held true for lots of thousands of years, with the first chronicled example of institutionalised philanthropy, as well as the genesis of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over two thousand years earlier in ancient Greece. During this duration, the word indicated something more similar to 'loving of one's fellow human being', or humanism, than the restrictions of wealth one may apply to the term now, but nonetheless rich individuals played a crucial charity role in the culture. Wealthy people were expected to give back to the society, helping to put up 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 entirely.
Several entities have actually been responsible for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy people 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 once 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 built by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or firms like SJP.
The way that charity has been financed has changed a lot throughout the course of human history, moving between different entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has actually changed as different requirements have actually emerged. These days, there are a great many concerns that have to be attended to, from widening inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play an important role in that procedure. 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 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 starting to do so.