Philanthropy

Some people love to help others.

This is called philanthropy. It means loving all people.

Long ago, people in Egypt helped others. They did this for their faith. Later, people in Europe did it too.

In London, a man named Thomas Coram helped kids. He built a home for orphans. This helped children live better lives.

Other people helped too. William Wilberforce fought for fair laws.

He worked to end the slave trade.

Helping others makes the world a good place.

Philanthropy means helping others for the good of everyone. The word comes from Greek words for "loving humankind."

A man named Herodes Atticus was a Greek philanthropist in Ancient Rome.

In London, people started new ways to help. In 1739, Thomas Coram helped orphans. He built the Foundling Hospital to care for them. Jonas Hanway also helped. He started a group to aid sailors in 1756.

In the 1800s, people fought for big changes. William Wilberforce was a famous campaigner.

He worked hard to end the slave trade. Many people also gave money to help the poor in cities. Some built better homes for working families.

In Switzerland, Henry Dunant helped soldiers. He helped start the Red Cross in 1863.

This group helps people during wars. Today, philanthropy is about making long-term changes to help the world.

Philanthropy is a way people help others for the public good. It focuses on making life better for everyone. Some people use the word charity to mean the same thing. This kind of helping is different from a business. A business works to make money for itself. It is also different from a government. A government provides public services for everyone. A person who practices philanthropy is called a philanthropist.

Helping others has a very long history. The word comes from Greek words meaning "to love humankind." In Ancient Rome, a man named Herodes Atticus was a known philanthropist. During the Middle Ages in Europe, people thought of helping as a religious duty. They called it charity, which meant selfless love. A thinker named Thomas Aquinas said charity was about loving your neighbor. Later, Samuel Johnson defined it simply as the "love of mankind." This idea of loving humanity is still used today.

In London, new ways to help grew during the 1700s. Before this, most help came from local churches. In 1739, Thomas Coram wanted to help abandoned children. He started the Foundling Hospital in Bloomsbury to care for orphans. This was the first big children's charity in the country. In 1756, Jonas Hanway started The Marine Society to help sailors.

By the 1800s, philanthropists began to campaign for big laws. William Wilberforce was a famous leader in this movement. He worked hard to end the slave trade in the Empire. In the 1800s, many people in London gave money to charities. By 1885, there were over 1,000 different charities in London.

Some groups helped the poor in crowded cities. Others, like the Model Dwellings Company, built better homes for workers. Some even tried to make money while helping, which was called "five per cent philanthropy."

In Switzerland, Henry Dunant changed how we help during wars. He used his own money to help start the Red Cross in 1863.

This group helped soldiers during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. Dunant even won the first Nobel Peace Prize for his work. In France, the Rockefeller Foundation helped build modern health systems. In Germany, the middle class used philanthropy to build museums and schools. Today, philanthropy focuses on making long-term changes to help the world.

Philanthropy is a specific form of altruism. It involves private initiatives meant for the public good. These actions focus on improving the quality of life for others. People often use the word philanthropy and the word charity interchangeably. However, philanthropy is distinct from other types of social action. A business is a private initiative for private good. Its main goal is material gain. A government provides public services for the public good. Philanthropy sits between these two. It is private action taken for a public purpose. Modern philanthropy focuses on long-term change. It aims for lasting aid rather than just immediate relief. A person who practices these acts is called a philanthropist.

The word philanthropy has deep roots in history. It comes from Greek words meaning "to love humankind." In Ancient Rome, Herodes Atticus was a famous philanthropist. During the Middle Ages, the concept changed in Europe. It became tied to the Christian virtue of charity. This meant showing selfless love to reach salvation. The thinker Thomas Aquinas said charity included loving your neighbor. Later, Sir Francis Bacon linked philanthropy to virtue and good habits. Samuel Johnson defined it as the "love of mankind." This definition is still used today. It is often called the "love of humanity" to be more gender-neutral.

In 18th-century London, philanthropy began to change. Earlier, local church parishes or guilds handled small charities. By the 1700s, a more active Protestant tradition emerged. People wanted to engage in direct charity during their lives. In 1739, Thomas Coram sought to help abandoned children. He received a royal charter for the Foundling Hospital in Bloomsbury. This was the first major children's charity in England. It set a pattern for many future organizations. In 1756, Jonas Hanway started The Marine Society. This was the first charity for seafarers. It helped recruit men for the navy. By 1763, the society had recruited over 10,000 men.

The 19th century saw philanthropists become political campaigners. They did not just give money. They also lobbied the government for new laws. William Wilberforce was a major leader in this area. He campaigned to end the slave trade. This movement succeeded in 1807. Later, the movement to buy out slave owners succeeded in 1833. Philanthropy also grew among the middle class. In 1869, London had over 200 charities. By 1885, that number grew to over 1,000 charities.

These groups had many goals. Some were religious and some were secular. Some even focused on improving housing for the poor. The Model Dwellings Company built new homes for workers. They also sought a competitive return on their investment. This was called "five per cent philanthropy."

In Switzerland, Henry Dunant changed humanitarian work. He used his personal fortune to fund the Geneva Society for Public Welfare. This group became the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1863.

During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, Dunant led delegations to treat soldiers. He won the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 for this work. The Red Cross played a huge role in World War II. It helped prisoners of war by providing food and mail. In 1939, the agency mobilized to help 365,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers. In France, the Pasteur Institute also acted philanthropically. It raised money to produce life-saving serums. The Rockefeller Foundation later helped fund the modern French health system.

Germany provides a unique model for philanthropy. In the 19th century, the middle class used it to shape society. They supported social welfare, education, and culture. This helped them gain influence during rapid industrialization. Different religious groups used different strategies. Catholics often gave money in their wills. Protestants focused on improving their communities immediately. They worked to stop social issues like alcoholism. Chancellor Otto von Bismarck created a state-sponsored welfare state. He did this to reduce political threats from labor unions. Private philanthropy remained essential for universities and hospitals. German institutions like the kindergarten became models for the rest of the world.

Despite its success, war can damage philanthropic systems. The First World War and the Nazi regime weakened German philanthropy. By 1945, the organized civil society of the 19th century was gone. However, the "economic miracle" of the 1950s helped it return. Philanthropy remains a vital way to connect private wealth to public needs. It links individual action to the progress of entire nations.