Philanthropy Reconsidered

Book excerpt: A re-interpretation and strategic overview of philanthropy-its meaning and values, greatest accomplishments, current transformations, and future directions-based on close analysis of historical sources, and 25 years' practical experience in all aspects of philanthropy. Chapter I: Promethean Fire: the Archetype - from its first coinage in ancient Greece, in Prometheus Bound, philanthropia meant the love of humanity, or of what it is to be human, an educational and cultural ideal; Chapter II: Philanthropy's Finest Hour: the American Revolution - the Revolution as philanthropy in action-how Classical philanthropy through voluntary associations produced a purportedly philanthropic nation, created by and for philanthropy; Chapter III: Philanthropy Yesterday and Today - how 20th-century growth and professionalization made philanthropy paradigmatic, but neglected Classical values, and how we are now in a paradigm-shift, in which philanthropy is being thoroughly transformed; Chapter IV: The Future of Philanthropy - how the paradigm-shift analysis illuminates issues facing Old Paradigm institutions, and current trends suggesting a probable future; Chapter V: Philanthropy Reborn- how a possible New Paradigm, uniting Classical ideals with Internet-based operations, might benefit donors, grantmakers, philanthropic advisors, trustees, executive directors, scholars, media journalists, teachers and students, as well as civic, religious and political leaders. Appendix I: Case Study: the Catalogue for Philanthropy in Massachusetts. Exemplifies the current paradigm-shift. Appendix II: A Taxonomic Tree of Philanthropy A donor-friendly presentation of how the fields of philanthropyconstitute a coherent whole. Appendix III: Bibliographical Notes Suggested further readings.