History

Understanding the history of charity and philanthropy is important for making sense of these topics in today’s world. This brief overview cannot possibly demonstrate the complexity and volume of the history of charity and philanthropy, but it gives a basic outline. To start this discussion of history, the words charity and philanthropy need to be defined. According to Dictionary.com, philanthropy is “altruistic concern for human welfare and advancement, usually manifested by donations of money, property, or work.” Charity more specifically refers to giving and helping the poor. These words are often used as synonyms, but I will attempt to be as accurate as possible and stick to their actual meaning.

In his book, Giving: Charity and Philanthropy in History, Robert Bremner uses The Odyssey and The Iliad to analyze how ninth century B.C. Greeks felt about beggars. Bremner concludes that people generally were only charitable if it was in their best interest. This idea is expanded upon in Deborah Taggart’s essay, “Charity.” Taggart says that the Greeks helped the poor laborers because they were necessary to the economy, but the “destitute and beggars were abhorred.”

Besides Homer’s epics, the Bible can be used to get a glimpse of the charity and philanthropy of ancient people. In the Bible, God frequently commands his people to be charitable and philanthropic. For example, in Isaiah 1:17, God says “Learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” This shows that God expected the Israelites to take care of those who, in their society, could not support themselves. People probably followed these instructions so they could be in the right with God. It seems as though people in ancient times participated in charity and philanthropy for selfish reasons (which, it could be argued, continues today).

A change happens in the Bible when Jesus comes into the picture. In Matthew 22:37-39, when asked what the greatest commandment is, He says that the first is to love God and the second is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” One can assume that loving your neighbor as yourself also includes helping them if they need it. Therefore, the early Christians were supposed to help those in need because they love them which is very different from helping others to advance yourself.

Later, however, this changed again as the people of pre-modern Europe had some new ideas. As Zygmunt Bauman explains on page 87 in his chapter “Prospects for the New Poor,” these Christians viewed charity as a way to “practice self-sacrifice, to live a virtuous life, to repent sins, and to earn heavenly bliss.” Charity became a fairly common selfish activity, at least among the churchgoing upper class.

The sixteenth century brought the explosion of scientific thought. People started thinking about Social Darwinism and many governments in Europe began passing laws against the lower classes. Bremner talks about “efforts to license and regulate begging by people unable to work.” While the governments did not have any social welfare, there was a lot of action from the churches to be charitable to the poor.

Eventually, governments started instituting social welfare which can be thought of as a form of charity. Also, in the realm of philanthropy, institutions such as hospitals became prevalent and justice systems were set up that would benefit all kinds of people. Now, many charities and philanthropies still associated with various churches or with the government. The developments of charity and philanthropy through history have shaped how these topics look today and can frame our analysis of them.

Bauman, Zygmunt. “Prospects for the New Poor.” Work, Consumerism and the New Poor. Philadelphia: Open University Press, 1998. 83-104.

Bremner, Robert. Giving: Charity and Philanthropy in History. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1994.

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