What is Philanthropy?
StiftungSchweiz is the “largest digital philanthropy community in Switzerland”. What does that actually mean – “philanthropy community”? Or rather, what exactly is meant by philanthropy? Where the term comes from, how it is defined, and who is a philanthropist are best illustrated by a few examples of philanthropy.
Let’s jump straight to the definition: The word “philanthropy” has its origin in ancient Greek: philanthrōpía (φιλανθρωπία) is composed of phílos (φίλος) “friend” and(ánthrōpos) ἄνθρωπος “human being”. Philanthropists are thus figuratively humanitarians. The Duden defines “philanthropy” quite simply as “love of humanity“. Philanthropy consequently stands for a universal value that runs through all cultures and epochs, regardless of religion, politics or ideologies.
The opposite of philanthropy is the more common term misanthropy, hatred of humanity. While one can be a misanthrope even without hostile actions, philanthropy focuses on the acting person who does good for other people.
Famous Philanthropists & How to Become one Yourself
The world’s greatest philanthropists are often measured by how much money they donate to charitable causes or what portion of their wealth they bequeath to charitable foundations after their death. Names like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and MacKenzie Scott top the lists of well-known philanthropists. But owning billions is not a necessary condition for being a philanthropist.
Among the most famous philanthropists are two biblical characters: St. Martin, who shared his cloak with a beggar because he had nothing else on him, and the Good Samaritan, who took care of an injured man. No billions were raised for these acts of philanthropy and yet, or perhaps because of this, the prominence of these narratives endures to this day as examples of unconditional charity.
Philanthropy is now also a subject of study and can be learned academically – for example as part of a business degree at the University of Basel’s Center for Philanthropy Studies or in the form of an interdisciplinary course at the University of Geneva. The first degree program in philanthropy exists in Ludwigsburg, Germany. Here, students can earn a Master of Arts degree in “Fundraising Management and Philanthropy.” In addition to knowledge that qualifies students for a professional career in the field of philanthropy, philanthropy is also included in the program as a research subject.
Philanthropy as a Guiding Principle: Examples of Philanthropic Values & Actions
The cornerstones of philanthropy are values such as equality of all people, empathy, responsibility and justice. For private individuals, philanthropic action usually means supporting charitable projects and foundations with donations in cash or in kind – as a sponsoring member of an NGO or specifically and with just a few clicks via a donation platform. Volunteers and full-time staff at grant giving organizations, projects and non-profit organizations also act philanthropically. They pitch in, develop fundraising concepts, fill out applications and handle project management in the spirit of philanthropy. Public relations and lobbying for a specific, charitable purpose are also part of philanthropy.
Philanthropy is not an industry or a discipline, but a guiding principle from which actions, structures, and entire lifestyles emerge. Some people are totally committed to philanthropy and make real improvements for their fellow human beings without being able to raise large amounts of money. Financial resources and donations are clearly essential to philanthropic action, but philanthropy goes far beyond gifts.
