PHILANTHROPIST - who is he? What do philanthropists do?

Philanthropist - who is he?

According to the current definition, a philanthropist is a person who provides support to other people without expecting anything in return. That is, the term is closely related to the concept of charity - activity aimed at achieving benefit for other members of society. The very concept of philanthropy is a term whose roots go back to the era of Ancient Greece. There it was first used and meant “philanthropy” (Greek “philos” - love and “anthropos” - man).

Philanthropist

Who is a philanthropist and what is philanthropy?

Philanthropy is literally translated as love of humanity. Originally it was a general term that applied to any person who treated others well. Now philanthropy is free help and charity for those who need it.

A philanthropist is a person who treats other people with love and gives them free support.

The main incentive for a philanthropist is to change the world around him through helping other people. Make it a little better. This is most often expressed in financial or non-material assistance for those who really need it (someone less talented, less successful, or simply a person from an area where huge amounts of money do not circulate). Modern philanthropists finance art, culture, healthcare, ecology, sports, science and help vulnerable populations get what they need for a comfortable life.

Misanthropy and philanthropy: main differences

Philanthropy and misanthropy are opposite concepts. A philanthropist is a person who puts the interests of people and society as a whole much higher than his own. And accordingly, such people are ready to spend their time, money and energy to help those in need. But only if it matches their beliefs.

At the same time, a philanthropist should not be spineless and 100 percent humane. Alexey Pivovarov, a former NTV journalist and now a blogger on Youtube, made a video in which he said that most Russian philanthropists as individuals are far from the most pleasant. And almost all of them are selfish within the framework of their own beliefs and aspirations. But that doesn't stop them from doing really important things.

A misanthrope is, on the contrary, a person who does not like people. Sometimes they even say that most misanthropes hate people and try to distance themselves from society. This is not entirely true. Misanthropy, in itself, is simply putting personal interests far above public interests and, as a result, complete distancing from society.

Philanthropist and misanthrope are concepts with very arbitrary boundaries. Not every person who does charity does it from the bottom of their hearts. Some are trying to reduce taxes, others just want to attract attention and show everyone how good they are. So it is with misanthropes. Most people who call themselves this really just want to show everyone what a maverick they are. And also attract attention.

Philanthropist and altruist

Altruism is an extreme degree of philanthropy in which a person puts the interests of others much higher than his own. So much higher that one’s own “I” and all its manifestations seem insignificant compared to loved ones or society as a whole. This form of philanthropy is rare in real life and more often in wartime, when people go to great deeds with the knowledge that their lives are worth nothing.

The theme of altruism is most common in literature, and the most striking example is the story of Danko. The man loved people so much that he was ready to sacrifice his own heart to light the path for the inhabitants of his village through the dark forest. Those people who insulted him in every possible way.

Altruism is an extreme. A person who puts the public interest far above his own will never be able to gain enough influence to really make a difference. This is why most philanthropists who have done great things have been selfish people who simply pursued their goals.

What do philanthropists do?

Having understood what philanthropy means, it is necessary to clarify those actions that relate to this concept. This could be the transfer of necessary items to those in need or the provision of services either on preferential terms or free of charge. A prerequisite is the voluntariness and selflessness of the assistance provided:

1. One of the main associations with who a philanthropist is is the provision of material assistance. This includes financial support, gifts and the provision of necessary services to orphans, the elderly, and the disabled.
2. Organization of charity events and events. Their goal is not only to raise funds, but also to attract the attention of the general public to the problem of a specific person or group of people.
3. Physical assistance to people in need. This could be cleaning the apartment, accompanying you to the store or clinic.
4. Assistance to public organizations and structures: construction of churches, shelters, schools, hospitals and community centers in underdeveloped regions.
5. Financing of cultural events: concerts, exhibitions.
6. Support for people affected by disasters, natural disasters or family problems.

What is the difference between a philanthropist and a misanthrope?

These are words with opposite meanings. If a philanthropist builds his activities based on the desire to help other people, then the misanthrope is emphatically individualistic and fundamentally refuses to respond to all requests for help. Misanthropes try not to take part in social endeavors and, if possible, minimize communication with the majority of their own kind.

Both misanthropy and philanthropy are concepts with conditional boundaries. It is difficult to distinguish between a person who sincerely shares his money with those in need and someone who wants to gain popularity from his generosity. In the same way, a person who openly declares hatred towards others may simply be increasing his own worth.

An extreme form of misanthropy is social Darwinism (the idea that “the survival of the fittest”), which denies philanthropy.

History of charity

In order to fully understand the meaning of the word philanthropist, it is important to study the history of its appearance, formation and modification:

1. The term first appeared in Ancient Greece in the work of playwright Aeschylus “Prometheus Bound”. There it was interpreted as “divine help to man.” Later it came to be understood as the support of man by man. Ancient philanthropists built public baths, organized city meals and distributed money to the poor.
2. With the advent of Christianity, philanthropy began to actively develop, because the commandments of this religion encouraged helping one’s neighbor and loving him. Churches and monasteries became centers of charity. In VI-IX, under their patronage, shelters and almshouses began to be built in Europe.
3. After the church reform of the 16th century, monasteries and churches ceased to be centers of philanthropy, which became the lot of the state and private individuals.
4. In the 19th century, in the German city of Elberfeld, a board of trustees was created, whose members collected information about those in need and distributed financial and food non-material assistance among them. The idea of ​​the council was to support a person in the long term, and not to momentarily provide him with everything he needed. The Elberfeld system is still widely used throughout the world.
5. In the USSR, the concept of philanthropy was practically not used, and a philanthropist was a person who was a member of one of the state funds to support residents of other countries. After the collapse of the union, domestic charity and patronage of the arts became popular again in some countries.

Top philanthropists of Russia

Philanthropist Vladislav Tetyukhin
Our country has always been famous for its generous, noble people who show mercy towards those less fortunate. In Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the regions, dozens of people are engaged in philanthropic activities. Their goal is simple - to make the world a little better, to help identify the talent of those who are not so financially wealthy.

The most famous philanthropists in Russia

• Vladislav Tetyukhin, a billionaire who gave almost his entire fortune to the construction, provision and selection of personnel of the Ural Clinical Treatment and Rehabilitation Center.
• Gennady Timchenko and his wife Elena, who created their own foundation. They support foster families and finance various programs aimed at developing sports and culture.
• Alisher Usmanov is one of the most generous people involved in supporting sports and culture. He believes that every child in the country should have the opportunity to realize themselves, regardless of their place of residence and social status. The Entrepreneur’s Foundation “Art, Science and Sports” is engaged in the preservation of cultural heritage, provides assistance to educational institutions at various levels, and supports cultural figures.
• Oleg Deripaska supports scientific projects aimed at involving the younger generation in science, and supports the spread of robotics as a hobby accessible to every child. He is the founder of his own charitable foundation “Volnoye Delo”. Among the fund's beneficiaries you can also find the Moscow Art Theater School, the Bolshoi Theater, the Hermitage, the Mariinsky Theater and many other cultural objects.
• Vladimir Potanin not only independently engages in philanthropy in the field of education, supporting thousands of students and teachers across the country, but also actively promotes legislative changes that make philanthropy in Russia as commonplace as in the world.
• In November 2011, Mikhail Gutseriev was awarded the Benjamin Franklin Medal, one of the prestigious US public awards for his significant contribution to the development of entrepreneurship in Russia and Eastern Europe, as well as large-scale charitable activities in the field of education.

An example of a new philanthropist

In 2021, billionaire Igor Rybakov donated a million dollars to Magnitogorsk school No. 56, where he studied. The funds are used to form an endowment fund.

• The university held a master class where they discussed the formation of a community of grateful school graduates and endowment funds. In particular, they discussed endowment funds as a way to alternatively finance schools. It was for the formation of such a fund that Igor Rybakov donated money to school No. 56.

Let us add that there are similar funds in schools in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Izhevsk, Saratov, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg and other cities.
In the world, a huge number of rich people voluntarily give their wealth to the development of humanity:

• Sciences,
• sports,
• art.

We are proud to know that in Russia there are many such worthy people who decided to help those who need it.

Top Philanthropists of the World

Philanthropist Warren Buffett
The numbers below are approximate as they change every year. And the list is very arbitrary, given only as an example.

• Warren Buffett: Donated over $38 billion to charity. In July 2021, Buffett made the largest donation of his life, giving $3.6 billion in shares to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation (named after his late first wife), and funds run by his three children: Howard G Buffett Foundation, Sherwood Foundation and NoVo Foundation;
• Bill and Melinda Gates: have donated more than $33 billion to charity;
• Jeff Bezos (Amazon.com, net worth $164 billion, $2 billion allocated to charity as part of the Bezos Day One Fund he created);
• Julian Robertson Jr.: Donated more than $1.5 billion;
• George Soros: donated more than 12 billion dollars;
• Paul Allen (co-founder of Microsoft, $261 million);
• Eli and Edith Broad: have given over four billion dollars to charity;
• Gordon and Betty Moore: more than five billion dollars;
• Chuck Feeney: Donated over seven billion dollars to charity;
• John Arnold (Centaurus Energy, $204 million);
• Jay Alix (the largest corporate bankruptcy expert in the United States, $200 million);
• Edward Bass (Bass Enterprises, $160 million).
• Azim Premji, Indian IT tycoon, $8.5 billion in revenue. He transferred a $7.6 billion stake in his IT company Wipro Limited to his charity, the Azim Premji Foundation, which is dedicated to education.
• Californian billionaires Stuart and Linda Resnick (worth $9 billion) paid $750 million to the California Institute of Technology (better known as CalTech) to fund climate change research. This is the largest gift in the history of the university.
• T. Danny Sanford, an estimated $3.4 billion billionaire who made his fortune through credit cards, donated $350 million to National University in San Diego.
• Chicago's richest man, Kenneth Griffin, founder of the hedge fund Citadel, donated $125 million to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. This is the largest donation the museum has received since its opening in 1933. It will be renamed the Museum of Science and Industry. Kenneth Griffin. Griffin's net worth is estimated at $13 billion.

Along with the emergence of large, rich and ambitious philanthropists, there is also a lot of condemnation against them. Some political scientists believe that rich people should not engage in charity at all. Big money has no place in global demographic projects - healthcare, education, poverty.

An example of a new philanthropist

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, whose fortune Forbes estimates at $1.6 billion, is a generous philanthropist. During 2021, Sheryl Sandberg quietly gave away a total of $127 million to her two charities.

“My giving this year allows me to support and inspire women around the world through LeanIn.Org, help people facing loss become stronger through OptionB.Org, and provide financial support and mentoring to hard-working college students through the Dave Goldberg Scholars Program, which gives back "A tribute to my husband's legacy," Sandberg said in a statement to Forbes.

How charities are punished

In the world

• In 2021, US President Donald Trump paid more than $2 million for the use of his charitable foundation, the Trump Foundation, for political purposes.
• The funds went to eight non-profit organizations as compensation for damages. Attorney General Letitia James noted that the Trump Foundation was closed for misconduct, and the remaining $1.8 million in the fund’s account was also distributed among charities.

Why do people do charity?

Although many people know what a philanthropist means, not everyone understands the motives for such behavior. These include:

1. Being in bad life circumstances in the past. That is, businessmen who have become rich often help start-ups, recognized artists help beginners, and those who have suffered serious illnesses or lost loved ones because of them help people with similar diagnoses.
2. Internal idealistic motives are changing the world for the better and correcting social injustice.
3. The desire to leave a mark in history or perpetuate your name.
4. Attempts to correct our own mistakes of the past. For example, former figures of criminal structures, after legalizing their business, direct funds to support the poor.
5. Lack of receivers. It is not uncommon for a philanthropist to be a person who has amassed a large fortune and has no one to give it to. There are no heirs, or there are some, but the rich man does not want to leave them anything.
6. Personal benefit. In many countries, legislation rewards wealthy people with tax breaks for charitable activities.

Reader Questions

I often see calls on TV to collect money via SMS for sick children. How involved are people in such philanthropy? What does philanthropy look like in Russia compared to global indicators?

At the end of 2021 (there are no more recent data yet), Russia ranks 110th in the World Philanthropy Index (WGI) among 146 countries. On the one hand, the result is so-so, on the other, within a year the Russian Federation has risen by 14 places at once. As the Gallup World Poll showed, 21% of Russians donate money to projects of non-profit organizations. 11% of residents of the Russian Federation participate in the volunteer movement (one-time or on an ongoing basis). During the month preceding the survey, 44% helped strangers - financially or with their labor.

The leaders of the rating are Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, where the volunteer movement is very widely developed, and monetary donations are elevated to the category of systematic ones. The United States came in fourth, with Americans donating more than $400 billion in 2021.

What is venture philanthropy?

The term appeared by analogy with venture investments - high-risk investments in innovative businesses. In the case of philanthropy, this is long-term support for social initiatives that at first glance may not seem obvious.

For example, providing guarantees to non-profit organizations (NPOs) that take out loans from banks. Venture philanthropy is usually implemented in the form of funds that finance one or another social activity or invest labor resources, technology, or training NPO participants.

The difference between venture philanthropy and traditional philanthropy is that the benefactor not only provides assistance, but also monitors the results of its use and can adjust the activities of the charitable or social organization under its care.

A classic example is the British fund Venturesome, which organizes long-term cooperation with various public organizations operating at the municipal level. When the village of Hutton Rudby needed to renovate its dilapidated village club and launched a fundraising campaign, it was discovered that approximately £50,000 would not be raised in the time allotted by the builders. Then the Venturesome fund provided guarantees to the bank for the missing amount - for the period until the money was collected from the residents (without such a guarantee, not a single bank was ready to give a loan to a public organization of residents). After some time, the residents paid off the loan.

In Russia, several private foundations are engaged in this kind of charity - for example, the Rybakov Foundation, a philanthropic organization created by Ekaterina and Igor Rybakov (the latter is one of the hundred richest entrepreneurs in the Russian Federation according to Forbes magazine. The organization supports innovative educational programs. For example, a competition is held among schools in which communities of parents, teachers, students and specialists have been created, involved in solving the problems of the educational institution.The winner receives funding proportional to the funds collected by the community (up to one and a half million rubles) for the development of cooperation between participants in the educational process.

Patron and philanthropist - what is the difference?

Due to similar activities, many people often confuse the concepts of philanthropist and philanthropist, which are similar in many ways. The only difference is that the patron provides free support of various kinds only to figures in the field of science, sports or art. That is, patrons finance the potential of talented artists, actors, athletes and scientists who simply do not have enough money to reach their potential. These funds can support museums and sports sections, open exhibitions and scientific laboratories, and conduct scientific research.

The most famous philanthropists of the world and Russia

Many major businessmen, public figures, athletes, and show business stars have spent and continue to spend huge amounts of money on charity. Among the most famous philanthropists of the past is the famous Mother Teresa, who helped the disadvantaged for 45 years and was beatified after her death. Or businessman John Rockefeller, who was by no means a saint, but throughout his life he donated a tenth of his income to the needs of the church. Princess Diana, who passed away so tragically, was involved in creating and equipping hospitals for seriously ill children, including those infected with HIV. Michael Jackson, despite the scandals that accompanied him, invested heavily in charities.

Top 10 modern philanthropists of the world

At the end of 2021, Forbes magazine summed up the results of the largest philanthropists (in all areas - from helping the poor to financing innovative educational programs). These included:

• Jeff Bezos (Amazon.com, $2 billion donated to charity);
• Michael Bloomberg (Bloomberg news agency, $767 million);
• Pierre Omidyar (eBay, $392 million);
• Stephen Schwarzman (Blackstone Group, $390 million);
• Stephen Ballmer (former Microsoft CEO, $295 million);
• Paul Allen (co-founder of Microsoft, $261 million);
• Mark Zuckerber (Facebook, $213 million);
• John Arnold (Centaurus Energy, $204 million);
• Jay Alix (the largest corporate bankruptcy expert in the United States, $200 million);
• Edward Bass (Bass Enterprises, $160 million).

Top 5 modern philanthropists in the Russian Federation

According to the same Forbes, the top five largest philanthropists in Russia at the end of 2021 include the following figures:

• Gennady and Elena Timchenko (through their own charitable foundation, they finance programs for the development of sports, culture, support foster families, etc.);
• Vladimir Potanin (support for educational programs, financing of cultural and sports projects);
• Alisher Usmanov (support for initiatives in the field of culture, art and sports);
• Mikhail Prokhorov (support for cultural initiatives);
• Mikhail Gutseriev (support for long-term projects in the fields of culture, education, sports, healthcare).

Forms of philanthropy

The main instruments of charity accepted in modern society include:

1. Financial assistance . Money can be donated to a specific person or transferred to a charitable foundation.
2. Property . This could be clothing, food, medicine, equipment, cars, real estate.
3. Services . An ordinary person can work for free in hospitals, shelters and social centers. People with certain knowledge can provide free consulting services to those in need and represent their interests in certain authorities.
4. Donation.

What is systemic philanthropy

In the West, it is popular to give part of your earned money to various funds. Some organizations rely solely on donations from individuals. There is a whole list of people who collect donations and are looking for people to join their organization.

In the West, about $350 billion is spent on charity every year.

To systematize the entire system of investments in charity, there is a whole direction - systemic philanthropy. Essentially, these are regular donations to certain funds. Basically, the frequency and size of donations depend on the specific programs and organizations that need the money. Systemic philanthropy has three directions:

• Transfer of valuables for charitable purposes. This is the most popular destination among large businessmen. Bill Gates regularly donates shares of his capital to various charitable foundations. Warren Buffett does the same thing. Or Viktor Vekselberg, who at one time bought the Faberge Eggs and donated them to the St. Petersburg Museum, where now anyone can view them.
• Foundation of educational educational institutions. This is a common practice in the West, when a university or school is created using the investments of sponsors. This is how famous educational institutions arose - Stanford and Harvard. Separate directions and training programs are also created with sponsorship money.
• Funding of charitable trusts. These are large organizations involved in charity. They have employees who handle all financial matters and a whole cadre of managers who study how to spend money most effectively. There are both narrowly focused foundations (the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission, which dealt with the treatment of diseases in the United States), and broadly focused ones (the Russell Sage Foundation, which was involved in the fight against poverty in the broadest sense of the word).

Systematic philanthropy is what the entire modern world is striving for now. This is the first step towards an equal distribution of resources between those who have enough and those who really need them. Almost every citizen of Europe or the United States has donated money to charitable foundations at least once in their life. And many people who do it once then do it on a regular basis. Small donations of $5-$10 help a large number of charities continue to do their work.

How to become a philanthropist?

When a person understands the meaning of the word philanthropist and there are certain personal motives for engaging in charitable activities, then you can start with the following steps:

1. Material donations to specific people or foundations. This could be money sent via SMS for the child’s treatment, or toys to an orphanage.
2. Conducting fundraising activities for specific purposes and attracting public attention to them: ecology, scientific research into the treatment of a certain disease, etc.
3. Volunteering. Such people donate their personal time and effort to help other people by being a member of a specific volunteer organization or foundation.

How does a philanthropist differ from an altruist?

Altruism is an extreme degree of philanthropy, the willingness to give the last to those in need, even to the detriment of oneself. An altruist can do work for another person, give all his available money to charity, and so on. All altruists are philanthropists, but not all philanthropists are altruists. If you send 100 rubles via SMS once a month for the treatment of a seriously ill child, you are a philanthropist, but not an altruist. If you transfer your entire pension to an artist you know, while you yourself live on bread and water in anticipation of beautiful paintings, you are both a philanthropist and an altruist.

Types of philanthropy

Social science identifies several types of philanthropy. There are independent figures in society who allocate significant sums to support those in need. Such philanthropy is typical of entrepreneurs, athletes and other famous personalities. But the most common type of assistance is the transfer of feasible amounts for the treatment of sick children, support for low-income families and other purposes.

Another type of charity is an association of legal entities that devote their activities to philanthropy. For example, they can raise funds to provide for street children or homeless people. Such organizations were common even before the revolution, when doctors provided assistance to the poor.

A charitable foundation is an integral part of modern society. The autonomous organization is under the strict control of trustees and directs all funds to support projects. Russian foundations provide assistance to children with cancer, the disabled and orphans.

A continuation of the charity movement is the collection of donations to help specific people. For example, volunteers can raise funds for an operation for a seriously ill person, the purchase of basic necessities, and other good causes.

History of the term

In ancient times, the main form of charity was almsgiving. In simple words, those in need could receive alms and food near religious buildings. Philanthropy, even before the advent of Christianity, was interpreted as a benevolent attitude towards people - this definition was mentioned in the myths and works of ancient Greece.

Later in Europe, orphanages, almshouses and boarding houses were created for children from poor families. In Russia, charity became famous during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, and a century later philanthropists began to appear, donating funds to various causes. Popular names among Russian benefactors include Sergei and Pavel Tretyakov, Savva Morozov, and Alexei Khludov. In the USSR, charitable foundations are created to provide assistance to citizens of the country.

What are the reasons to become a philanthropist?

There are several reasons why a person decides to help other people:

• Own life experience. For example, a successful businessman helps aspiring entrepreneurs. Or a famous artist - a children's art school. Or a person cured of cancer helps other patients. Such people remember well what it means to be a novice businessman, a poor artist and a seriously ill person, and therefore are determined to help people in the same circumstances.
• The desire to perpetuate one's own name. Not a completely disinterested motive, of course, this is already patronage, but still, help is not provided for material reward.
• Idealism. For example, the desire to protect the offended, persecuted, and restore justice in society.
• Just the belief that all people should help each other.
• The desire to “atone for sins”, to correct one’s mistakes. Sometimes repentant criminals, people who have done something bad in life, take the path of philanthropy. They strive to atone for such wrongdoings by helping people.
• Reluctance to leave an inheritance or lack of heirs. Often rich people bequeath their wealth to charitable organizations, realizing that the money cannot be taken to the grave.

Important

Altruism is the highest manifestation of philanthropy. Such people always help everyone, are ready to “give their shirt off their backs”, and act even to the detriment of themselves.

Signs of a philanthropist

But how can one identify a philanthropist from a crowd of millions of people? Of course, comprehensively analyze all possible factors: character traits, behavioral characteristics, special characteristics. We will dwell on the signs in more detail.

The signs of a philanthropist include the following:

1. High sense of social justice. We have already talked about it. In this case, it is characteristic that a person strives to eliminate any injustice in society. For example, poverty. He tries to donate to the poor, help in the construction of buildings, and help orphanages and animal shelters as a volunteer. This is justified by the fact that philanthropists are very sensitive and empirical individuals;
2. There is no self-interest in philanthropists. That is, they act from the heart. They are not trying to gain any benefit other than their own happiness and pleasure;
3. A special mindset and worldview. Such individuals quite often think completely differently. For example, they consider it important for themselves to strive to help and support others. strong love for animals;
4. Ambition. What does it mean? In this context, ambition implies that the philanthropist sets significant and vante goals for himself. For example, eradicate poverty. Or help in the invention of a vaccine or some medicine;
5. Participation in organized groups. These are volunteer groups and charitable foundations. Such public organizations help to unite all concerned to achieve common and united goals.

How charities work

So, we said that the safest and most popular types of philanthropy are charitable foundations. But what are they? How do they work? Let's look into this issue.

Firstly, all charitable foundations operate on the principle of targeted income. This means that each donation, for the most part, goes to specific people or an issue. Therefore, a charitable foundation cannot use the funds received for other purposes.

Secondly, only a legal entity can be recognized as a support fund. Therefore, such an organization maintains strict reporting not only to the authorities, but also to those individuals who donate to the fund’s accounts.

Thirdly, assistance through a charitable foundation is carried out purposefully. That is, a certain amount is required. The Foundation announces a fundraiser. Then, after receiving the required amount, this money is sent to the needy. Therefore, we can say that collecting donations for the couple’s foundation is a comprehensive and organized way to achieve what they want.

Money that was received by the foundation but did not have a designated purpose is also spent on charitable needs. Likewise, when more funds were collected than necessary.

How do philanthropists behave in different life situations?

Philanthropy often has its roots in childhood. This is expressed in the abundance of domestic animals: cats and dogs. From an early age, such people cannot leave a stray animal without help and take it to their home. But over time, philanthropy often becomes less pronounced, and adults limit themselves to alms, lending money, etc.

Often philanthropists are NOT doing so well at work. Usually they are saddled with a huge amount of work simply because they cannot refuse help. But more often than not, philanthropists are happy at work. They are often the soul of the team; everyone loves them because they are open to communication and help at any time.

Philanthropists are ideal for families. They will help in any situation: if the wife is tired, the husband will take care of the children or housework, not considering this a shameful activity for a man.

Why do companies engage in philanthropic activities?

There are many pitfalls in this issue. Since companies do not always pursue that same “highly spiritual goal.” In the modern world, it has become fashionable to help others, as well as animals. Therefore, many people use philanthropic activities as a way to advertise their cause or company. In this case, it cannot be called true philanthropy.

Also, companies thus draw attention to the problem. Since without the help of these companies, fundraising or assistance would be very long and drawn out. Therefore, companies popular among people are attracted to help raise funds.

Beyond this, a company can truly embrace philanthropy as part of its corporate culture.

There are many philanthropic organizations in the modern world.

History of philanthropy

Philanthropy in its various manifestations has been known since ancient times. At the initial stages during the Middle Ages, it was carried out with the support of the church. free schools and almshouses at the monasteries , where orphans, the poor and the needy .

Subsequently, the role of the state in this area increased, which was engaged in the construction of hospitals and shelters. And already in the 19th century, philanthropy began to be associated primarily with private individuals .

Ancient Greece

In Ancient Greece, the emergence of the concept of “philanthropy” occurs in the 5th century . This term was introduced by the outstanding tragedian of his time - Aeschylus , using it in the tragedy “Prometheus Bound”.

Aeschylus. coined the term "philanthropy"

He called Prometheus’s love for people, whom he showed how to use fire, philanthropy.

Every month in the policies (small city-states) of Ancient Greece, people were chosen by lot , whose duties included organizing charitable activities:

• preparing public meals where any interested citizen could drop in;
• cash payments to the poor;
• construction of temples, libraries, baths at the expense of private donations.

Plutarch added kindness, simple politeness, and delicacy to philanthropy.
The ancient Greek writer, historian and philosopher Plutarch . In addition to a friendly feeling towards others, acceptance of their weaknesses, understanding of the need to intervene in the fate of those in need.

Plutarch puts into this term kindness, simple politeness, delicacy in communication, and even a sense of civic solidarity.

Europe

The history of the development of European philanthropy is directly related to the following names:

Thomas Coram - built a house for illegitimate children

• Thomas Coram. A captain of the English navy who, having achieved material success, created a charitable shelter for illegitimate and abandoned children. He was struck by the number of abandoned and beggarly children in London at the time, as well as the lack of positive prospects for their future lives. Between 1742 and 1745, a Home for illegitimate children was built in the Bloomsbury area. Among those who responded to the captain’s initiative was the composer Handel, who donated an organ to the charity.

Jonas Henway - founded a shelter for "fallen women"

• Jonas Henway. An Englishman who became famous, first of all, for being the first to use an umbrella as a shelter not only from the sun, but also from the rain . However, few people know that, in addition to this, he was actively involved in charitable activities. He founded the Magdalene Asylum, helping "fallen women" learn the trade of seamstress or servant . Subsequently, more than half of the students managed to find a job or get married successfully. Henway also supported the shelter of the aforementioned Thomas Coram. And in 1756 he even became its head.

William Wilberforce - actively fought against slavery

• William Wilberforce . British politician, philanthropist, actively involved in issues of slavery and the slave trade. For more than 20 years, he actively fought the system in an attempt to achieve a parliamentary ban on slavery . On May 25, 1807, the law abolishing the slave trade was passed. And in 1833, slavery was completely prohibited.

Lord Shaftesberry - introduced the concept of "moral sense"

• Lord Shaftesbury - John Locke . English philosopher and writer, a prominent representative of the Enlightenment, author of a three-volume collection of essays “Characteristics of People, Morals, Opinions, Times,” which reveals issues of morality, ethics, and aesthetics. He introduced the concept of “moral feeling” - an innate feeling of love for good and antipathy for evil.

America

Among the famous American philanthropists are:

Andrew Carnegie - built 3,000 libraries in the USA

• Andrew Carnegie. American entrepreneur and multimillionaire, actively involved in charity. He financed the construction of about 3,000 libraries in the United States, the Carnegie Hall concert hall in New York, the Carnegie Institution in Washington, founded the pension Heroes Fund, and also made multimillion-dollar donations annually.

John Davison Rofeller - founding university, medical school

• John Davison Rofeller . Entrepreneur, first dollar billionaire in history. Founded the University of Chicago, the Rockefeller Institute of Medicine, and the Rockefeller Foundation. Each year he donated 10% of his income to the Baptist Church.

Henry Ford - founded a fund to support poor families

• Henry Ford . The owner of car production factories, the founder of the Ford Foundation charity organization, which to this day provides assistance to poor families, runs educational programs, and supports the endeavors of artists.

Could you give at least half of all your money to help someone?

Russia

The most famous among the first Russian philanthropists in history were:

The Tretyakov brothers - founded the gallery and donated a large number of works of art

• Tretyakov brothers . They became the founders of the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, donating a large number of works of art from their personal collections . They were engaged in a variety of charitable activities: helping the poor, paying scholarships, supporting artists . They built many houses, schools, churches.

Savva Mamontov - opened the first private opera, financed the construction of railways

• Savva Mamontov. He financed the construction of the northern railway network, as well as the Donetsk coal railway . He supported the project for the development of lands of the Russian North . Opened the first private opera. Helped theatrical productions rejected by state theaters. Mamontov's money was used to build the Metropol Hotel and reconstruct the Yaroslavl Station .

Bakhrushins - built a hospital and many shelters for widows and children

• Bakhrushins . With their savings, a hospital for the terminally ill was built in Moscow , 600 thousand rubles were allocated for the construction of a free orphanage for the Orthodox poor and orphans, and a “house of free apartments” was erected for needy widows with children and female students. They financed the construction of a number of shelters throughout Moscow.

Morozovs - built the Morozov hospital in Moscow

• Morozovs . They were engaged in the creation of museums, collecting collections of artistic and decorative arts. Thanks to them, the Moscow Art Theater appeared. They also helped the common population: they built hospitals, schools, and orphanages.

Traits of a Philanthropist

Thus, a philanthropist is a special behavior, character, values ​​and worldview. Therefore, it is important to consider what character traits a classic example of a philanthropist possesses:

1. Empathy. Such people do not have hatred, they are attentive to others, try to help and support;
2. Unselfishness;
3. Virtue, or otherwise kindness;
4. Perseverance and determination;
5. Confidence in yourself and in your actions;
6. High sense of justice;
7. High ambitions;
8. Compassion.

A person engaged in philanthropy can be identified by his character traits

Modern understanding of philanthropists

Previously, philanthropists were called everyone who did at least some kind of charity and helped the poor. At the same time, it was possible not only to donate money, but also to build buildings, help with advice or find a job.

Nowadays, philanthropists are businessmen, entrepreneurs and caring people who support people in difficult life situations. And also for those who, due to health reasons or circumstances, cannot provide for themselves.

In general, in our country almost every fifth person can be a philanthropist. According to official statistics, 20% of all people periodically donate money to those in need. We see this in support funds and on federal television, when the whole country raises money for victims of natural disasters.

But in a narrower sense, the term "philanthropist" refers to wealthy businessmen. They just have a lot more resources. And because of this, they can build hospitals, make large donations, and even shape the development of important industries such as medicine and the environment around the world.

Large businessmen even have their own funds, which receive money directly from the income of the owners. These can be either funds to support certain segments of the population, or ordinary companies involved in things important to society. Most often these are medicine (centers for the treatment of various diseases) and ecology (the creation and promotion of alternative energy sources and the fight against environmental pollution).

Patron and philanthropist: what's the difference?

Philanthropist and philanthropist are similar concepts at first glance, but there is a big difference between them. Philanthropists help those who really need support: low-income families, the sick. Or they are struggling with serious global problems such as pollution.

Philanthropists simply invest money in charity and try to help those who really need it.

A philanthropist is more of a sponsor of successful people in certain fields who cannot realize their potential due to lack of money. Patrons can invest in the development of sports, science or culture, or donate part of their income to museums, scientific laboratories or sports clubs.

Indeed, a philanthropist is a sponsor for those who do not have enough money to reach their potential.

Who is a venture philanthropist?

There is an important area in the global investment environment: venture philanthropy. This is the direction of the principles of risky investment when financing socially significant projects. It looks like this:

1. A company that wants to do charity work has little money. You have to register, open up, attract people and get money.
2. People who want to do charity invest in this company. Each of them receives contributions and benefits. And also the ability to decide where to send funds.
3. The company receives money and begins its activities.
4. Venture philanthropists monitor certain processes and, if they consider it appropriate, intervene in the company's activities and suggest which sectors are worthy of attention and which are not.

Companies organized in this way are primarily concerned with global issues. Fighting poverty in individual countries and throughout the world, preserving the environment, maintaining the population of certain animal species. They provide assistance to the sick, create hospitals, hospices, and also help in the social sphere, for example, in finding work for certain categories of citizens.

These companies are more like joint stock companies that do not prioritize money. Everyone who invests money in this “business” gets a share in the company and subsequently adds more and more money. So there are similar projects that are doing really important things for the whole world.