In Defence of Philanthropy
Cover -- Half-title -- Title page -- Dedication -- Copyright information -- Table of contents -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction: the need for a defence of philanthropy -- The need for a defence of philanthropy -- My interest in understanding philanthropy -- The empirical basis for this book -- Criticism and generalized cynicism affect both askers and givers -- A justification of the role, purpose and value of philanthropy in society -- The problematic consequence of damaging the reputation of philanthropy -- Three critiques of philanthropy -- When and why did hyper-criticism of philanthropy emerge? -- The successful landing of hyper-criticism -- The need for scrutiny and constructive critiques -- How the Covid-19 pandemic highlights the need for careful consideration of criticism -- The positive potential of philanthropy -- 1 What is philanthropy? -- The roles and impacts of philanthropy across time -- The ongoing contested terrain of philanthropy -- A diversity of causes and contexts -- Changes in who is called a "philanthropist" -- Changes in philanthropy causes and beneficiaries over time -- Philanthropic motivation over time -- The logic of philanthropy, the collective action problem and the impossibility of free gifts -- Explanations for the existence of the contemporary philanthropy sector -- The philanthropy paradox: greater public support for philanthropy than for philanthropists -- Longstanding mixed motives and the problem of generalizing about philanthropy -- Philanthropy's greatest achievements -- Historic greatest achievements -- Modern greatest achievements -- Reflections on philanthropic achievements and how they relate to critics' concerns -- Conclusion -- 2 Is philanthropy really under attack? -- Philanthropists have not enjoyed ceaseless praise to date -- Criticism of philanthropists varies across cultural contexts.