Charity and philanthropy have actually been important parts of a healthy and functioning society for thousands of years now.
The majority of us will acknowledge and value the role that famous philanthropists play in helping the world in this day and age, handing down their hard-earned fortunes to assist those who need it most. For a lot of the most affluent people and organisations now, charity is an opportunity to put their profits towards an excellent cause. This is not simply something limited to the twenty-first century either, it has actually 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, implying 'man-loving' in its initial form. It was viewed as a requirement of the wealthy to share their wealth for the wellbeing of the society, with rich citizens aiding with public causes like the upkeep of temples and city walls or financing public celebrations. We might not call it a requirement as such now, but those who do not engage with charity in any kind will definitely see their reputations suffer.
As one might anticipate of anything over the course of 2 thousand years, philanthropy meaning has developed throughout the ages, and so has its focus. Following the middle ages, the main source of humanitarian responsibility moved from spiritual organizations 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, entrepreneur undertook a sense of duty towards those in need, particularly throughout and after periods of war and turmoil which left many households struggling. Towards the end of the 19th century we started to see the establishment of philanthropic businesses like foundations to help handle big problems, much like the one developed by SJP today.
Throughout the most tough minutes in human history, charity has constantly been there to lend an assisting hand to those in dire need. This was particularly true during the twentieth century, when personal philanthropy continued to support soldiers throughout the World Wars and their families who were left behind. Throughout the Second World War in particular, foundations started to interact and became more specialist. This is similar structure as charity work takes these days, with a network of business and people working together to finance and enact tasks, although the range and scope of philanthropic jobs is even more ambitious. Some foundations are taking on big international concerns through their work, and corporate philanthropy is now the standard of contemporary organization practices with companies like Vanguard Group and Morgan Stanley contributing to the process.