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Definition: philanthropy from Collins English Dictionary

n pl -pies

1 the practice of performing charitable or benevolent actions

2 love of mankind in general

[C17: from Late Latin philanthrōpia, from Greek: love of mankind, from philos loving + anthrōpos man]

› phiˈlanthropist or philanthrope (ˈfɪlənˌθrəʊp) n


philanthropy

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
the spirit of active goodwill toward others as demonstrated in efforts to promote their welfare. The term is often used interchangeably with charity. Every year vast sums of money are collected for invaluable philanthropic purposes, and an increasing number of people participate in the work of collecting money through highly organized campaigns, the purpose of which is fund-raising . In many countries philanthropy has been incorporated in government policy in the form of tax exemptions for contributions to charitable agencies. It has become so accepted that few now escape the demands of giving, and many important institutions are partly or wholly dependent on it. In early times, charity was usually prompted by religious faith and helped to assure a reward in an afterlife, a notion found in Egypt many centuries before the Christian era. Throughout history, active participation in philanthropy has been a particular characteristic of Western societies. A traditional philanthropic ideal of…
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Full text Article PHILANTHROPY

From Poverty: An International Glossary
Philanthropy refers to the giving or transfer of money or other resources, especially to the poor on the part of private sectors and groups – particularly middle- and upper-class sectors – for artistic, religious, instructional and humanitarian purposes. What defines philanthropy is not the transfer…
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Full text Article PHILANTHROPY

From The Reader's Companion to American History
“In works of beneficence, no country has surpassed, perhaps none has equaled the United States,” James Bryce, the British journalist, wrote in 1888. One hundred years later Americans had given $104.3 billion to charity. They did not invent philanthropy, but for a variety of reasons they have always…
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Full text Article Philanthropy

From Encyclopedia of American Studies
"Bandit's Roost," 59 Mulberry Street. New York,...
In its American variant, philanthropy has one major root in British law and a second in colonial experience. Legal definitions of relationships among charity, church, and state and among charity, church, and parishioners stem from the motherland. But the key understanding to undergird nonprofit, …
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Full text Article Philanthropy

From The A to Z of Corporate Social Responsibility
→ Foundation Philanthropy is an altruistic action designed to promote the good of society. In the context of CSR, philanthropy falls into the social sphere, but outside of a company's core operations. While philanthropy by corporations is very important and contributes to society's well being, its…
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Full text Article philanthropy

From Merriam-Webster's Collegiate(R) Dictionary
pronunciation (ca. 1623) 1 : goodwill to fellowmen : goodwill to fellow members of the human race; esp :  active effort to promote human welfare 2 a : a philanthropic act or gift : an act or gift done or made for humanitarian purposes b : an organization distributing or supported by philanthropic…
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Full text Article philanthropy

From Encyclopedia of American Religious History
Philanthropy, the act of giving time, treasure, or talent to others with no expectation of reward, is intimately linked with religion and is a dominant element of the U.S. religious landscape. As Henry Allen Moe said in his presidential address to the American Philosophical Society in 1961, …
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Full text Article philanthropy

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
the spirit of active goodwill toward others as demonstrated in efforts to promote their welfare. The term is often used interchangeably with charity. Every year vast sums of money are collected for invaluable philanthropic purposes, and an increasing number of people participate in the work of…
| 377 words
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Full text Article philanthropy

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Love felt by an individual towards humankind. It is expressed through acts of generosity and charity and seeks to promote the greater happiness and prosperity of humanity. The term derives from the Greek, but the notion of caring for more than oneself and one's immediate family is the basis for all…
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Full text Article PHILANTHROPY

From The Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of the American Enlightenment
In America between 1750 and 1815, the scale and scope of philanthropy—or humanitarian activism—grew as Americans, in concert with their fellow citizens of the Atlantic community, experimented with myriad new ways to alleviate distress and exert more control over the world. Based on the belief that…
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Full text Article NEO-PHILANTHROPY

From Poverty: An International Glossary
Philanthropy nowadays takes new forms, referred by some authors as neo-philanthropy. It includes different forms of private and public social intervention with the poor that have a moral, symbolic and economic purpose. Neo-philanthropy includes contributions by: (1) non-governmental organizations or…
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