Charity and philanthropy have been important parts of a healthy and functioning society for countless 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 these days, charity is a chance to put their profits towards a great cause. This is not simply something restricted to the twenty-first century either, it has held true for countless years. Charity and benevolence were deemed a main part of a good life and a healthy society, with the Ancient Greeks thinking philanthropy to be necessary to working democracy. It was here that the word itself stemmed, meaning 'man-loving' in its original form. It was viewed as an obligation of the wealthy to share their wealth for the wellness of the society, with wealthy citizens assisting with public causes like the maintenance of temples and city walls or financing public festivals. We might not call it a duty as such nowadays, however those who do not engage with charity in any form will certainly see their reputations suffer.

As one might anticipate of anything throughout 2 thousand years, philanthropy meaning has actually evolved 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 individuals. Simultaneously, the focus of philanthropy moved towards the towns and cities rather from the impoverished countryside. Throughout the following centuries, entrepreneur accepted a sense of duty towards those in need, especially during and after periods of war and upheaval which left many families struggling. Towards the end of the 19th century we began to see the establishment of philanthropic businesses like foundations to help deal with big problems, similar to the one developed by SJP nowadays.

Throughout the most difficult minutes in human history, charity has actually constantly been there to lend a helping hand to those in dire need. This was particularly true during the twentieth century, when private philanthropy continued to support troops throughout the World Wars and their families who were left behind. During the Second World War in particular, foundations began to collaborate and became more specialist. This is much the same structure as charity work takes these days, with a network of companies and individuals collaborating to finance and enact projects, although the range and scope of philanthropic tasks is even more ambitious. Some foundations are handling big worldwide problems through their work, and corporate philanthropy is now the requirement of contemporary business practices with companies like Vanguard Group and Morgan Stanley contributing to the process.