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Four traditions of philanthropy

1 January 1970
Academic / Journal Article
Publisher : Lake Institute on Faith & Giving

19298

This article outlines three historical traditions of philanthropy in America: Relief (charity and alleviating suffering), Improvement (maximizing human potential, like Carnegie libraries), and Social Reform (proactively identifying and solving public problems). It discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each tradition, illustrating how philanthropic approaches have evolved from direct aid to fostering self-sufficiency and, more recently, acting as catalysts for systemic change. The paper implies a movement towards a fourth, more comprehensive philanthropic response.

Author(s) :

E Lynn, S Wisely

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Key topics

Social Justice, Philanthropy and Human Rights

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