Philanthropy has actually long been a main part of a reasonable and thriving culture, but the manner in which it works has altered over the years.
One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, quickly think of a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for distributing their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has actually been the case for lots of thousands of years, with the very first documented example of institutionalised philanthropy, in addition to the genesis of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over 2 thousand years back in ancient Greece. Throughout this period, the word suggested something more akin to 'caring of one's fellow man', or humanism, than the limitations of wealth one might apply to the term these days, however nevertheless rich individuals played an essential charity role in the culture. Rich people were expected to give back to the community, assisting to put up the money for repair work to public works like city walls or temples as well as funding festivals and other public celebrations. Being pinchpenny was not regarded well, and if a wealthy individual was not seen to be a benefactor, they could be ostracised from the community entirely.
Several entities have been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although rich individuals and celebrity philanthropists may be viewed as the main charitable force in the modern world, that is not always totally true, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was spiritual organizations like the church that would have been the main charitable hubs, both within the town and on bigger level projects. That changed with the coming of commercial enterprise when rich people became more powerful, and then moved once again towards the end of the nineteenth century when foundations began to emerge that were much better set up and could devote more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured nowadays, whether those foundations are established by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or firms like SJP.
The manner in which charity has actually been funded has altered a lot throughout the course of human history, moving in between different entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has changed as different needs have actually emerged. Nowadays, there are a great many concerns that need to be addressed, from increasing inequality to the environment crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play a crucial role in that process. Wealthy individuals with checking account that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, however so do the firms that are the main centers of financial generation in the twenty-first century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is setting up a foundation of their own or establishing ESG commitments, companies like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are beginning to do so.