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Book Synopsis''This is the definitive book on philanthropy its history, contradictions and future'' John Gray, Emeritus Professor of European Thought, London School of Economics''Good books lay out the lie of the land. Important books change it. This book is both'' Giles Fraser, priest, journalist and broadcasterThe super-rich are silently and secretly shaping our world. In this groundbreaking exploration of historical and contemporary philanthropy, bestselling author Paul Vallely reveals how this far-reaching change came about. Vivid with anecdote and scholarly insight, this magisterial survey from the ancient Greeks to today's high-tech geeks provides an original take on the history of philanthropy. It shows how giving has, variously, been a matter of honour, altruism, religious injunction, political control, moral activism, enlightened self-interest, public good, personal fulfilment and plutocratic manipulation.Its narrative moves from the Greek man of hon
Trade ReviewThis is the definitive book on philanthropy – its history, contradictions and future … A deep and probing study of a highly complex practice that is an increasingly powerful force in our world. -- John Gray, Emeritus Professor of European Thought, London School of Economics
A magisterial treatment of the history of Western philanthropy. Paul Vallely has produced the best single volume on the ideas that have shaped philanthropy, the institutional arrangements that have structured it, and the outsized personalities that have marked it… Stuffed with astonishing stories and illuminating interviews, this book will be a lasting resource for scholars, philanthropic and NGO leaders, and individual donors. -- Rob Reich, Professor of Political Science at Stanford University and author of Just Giving: Why Philanthropy is Failing Democracy and How It Can Do Better.
There are good books and there are important books. Good books lay out the lie of the land. Important books change it. This book is both. Beautifully written, passionately argued and crammed full of fascinating detail. -- Giles Fraser, priest, journalist and broadcaster
Paul Vallely has done all those involved in philanthropy a service with this comprehensive and panoramic overview of the field. * Dr Beth Breeze, Director, Centre for Philanthropy, University of Kent *
Deeply researched and wonderfully written, this book is much more than a sweeping, erudite history. It is a fascinating exploration of why
people give – and a powerful call for philanthropy to do a better job of melding empathy with effectiveness. -- David Callahan, Founder & Editor of Inside Philanthropy, Author of The Givers: Wealth, Power, and Philanthropy in a New Gilded Age
Timely and fascinating -- Peter Hennessy, Attlee Professor of Contemporary British History, Queen Mary, University of London
Philanthropy is as awesome in breadth as it is meticulous in detail … [the] text is helpfully broken up with interviews that provide a great deal of illumination about different approaches to giving. * Literary Review *
This book deserves the widest possible readership. Paul Vallely has poured five years of research into a highly readable yet deeply serious exploration of the paths taken by the instinct and duty to give. * The Tablet *
…a … highly readable survey by the British journalist Paul Vallely … helpful in framing the major questions about philanthropy. * The New Yorker *
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Two Visions of Philanthropy 2 The Foundations of Western Philanthropy 3 Medieval Charity 4 How the Black Death Changed Everything 5 The Great Myth of the Reformation 6 The Business of the State 7 The Philanthropist as Activist 8 Victorian Virtues and Vices 9 Survival of the Fattest 10 Cradle to Grave - Philanthropy and the Welfare State 11 The Staggering Success of Philanthrocaptialism 12 The Serious Shortcomings of Philanthrocaptialism 13 Philanthropy Goes Global 14 Celebrity Philanthropy 15 Geeks Bearing Gifts - Philanthropy and Politics 16 Is Philanthropy Bad For Democracy? 17 Effective Altruism - What Could be Wrong with That? 18 How Philanthropy Can Recover Its Lost Soul Epilogue: Philanthropy After the Pandemic
Notes Further Reading Picture Credits Acknowledgments Index
