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Running down “do-gooders” has become a popular pastime in recent years. Journalists and academics alike have lampooned and criticized philanthropists and big donors for their charitable activities, which are often characterized as a means of self-aggrandisement or tax evasion.
Yet, it is widely acknowledged that philanthropy – from the establishment of Carnegie libraries in the nineteenth century to the recent global health interventions of the Gates Foundation – has played a critical role in both developed and developing societies.
In an impassioned defence of the role of philanthropy in society, Beth Breeze tackles the main critiques levelled at philanthropy and questions the rationale for undermining and disparaging philanthropic acts. She contends that although it might be flawed, philanthropy is a sector that ought to be celebrated and championed so that an abundance of causes and interests can flourish.
— Wall Street Journal
Beth Breeze OBE is Director of the Centre for Philanthropy and Reader in Social Policy at the University of Kent. She began her career as a fundraiser for a youth homelessness charity, and spent a decade working in a variety of fundraising, research and charity management roles, including as deputy director at the Institute for Philanthropy. She is the author of The New Fundraisers: Who Organises Charitable Giving in Contemporary Society? (2017).
Introduction: the need for a defence of philanthropy1. What is philanthropy?2. Is philanthropy really under attack?3. The academic critique4. The insider critique5. The populist critique6. Why do attacks on philanthropy stick and what can be done about it?Conclusion: in praise of philanthropy