Philanthropy in Democratic Societies History, Institutions, Values
Philanthropy is everywhere. In 2013, in the United States alone, some $330 billion was recorded in giving, from large donations by the wealthy all the way down to informal giving circles. We tend to think of philanthropy as unequivocally good, but as the contributors to this book show, philanthropy...
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| Other Authors: | , |
| Format: | eBook |
| Language: | English |
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Chicago ; London
University of Chicago Press
2016, ©2016
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| Collection: | DeGruyter MPG Collection - Collection details see MPG.ReNa |
| Summary: | Philanthropy is everywhere. In 2013, in the United States alone, some $330 billion was recorded in giving, from large donations by the wealthy all the way down to informal giving circles. We tend to think of philanthropy as unequivocally good, but as the contributors to this book show, philanthropy is also an exercise of power. And like all forms of power, especially in a democratic society, it deserves scrutiny. Yet it rarely has been given serious attention. This book fills that gap, bringing together expert philosophers, sociologists, political scientists, historians, and legal scholars to ask fundamental and pressing questions about philanthropy’s role in democratic societies. -- The contributors balance empirical and normative approaches, exploring both the roles philanthropy has actually played in societies and the roles it should play. They ask a multitude of questions: When is philanthropy good or bad for democracy? How does, and should, philanthropic power interact with expectations of equal citizenship and democratic political voice? What makes the exercise of philanthropic power legitimate? What forms of private activity in the public interest should democracy promote, and what forms should it resist? Examining these and many other topics, the contributors offer a vital assessment of philanthropy at a time when its power to affect public outcomes has never been greater. “ Philanthropy in Democratic Societies begins an urgently needed discussion of the ethical questions raised by the changing role of philanthropy in the United States and elsewhere.” — Peter Singer, author of The Most Good You Can Do -- “Finally! A really good, academic treatment of the political and philosophical underpinnings of philanthropy. Reich, Cordelli, and Bernholz managed to corral many of the best scholars writing and thinking about philanthropy, putting together an illuminating collection of essays (including their own) that draw on history, law, organizational theory, and philosophy to challenge and provoke practitioners to think hard about how we justify what we do. This is indispensable reading for anyone who thinks seriously about the obligations and responsibilities of philanthropy. Actually, it’s even more indispensable for anyone who doesn’t.” — Larry Kramer, president of the William and Flora Hewitt Foundation -- “Philanthropy involves private persons using power to influence the public realm. To what extent is the exercise of this power compatible with the values of a liberal democratic state? This is the fundamental question that runs through this important and absorbing volume. The authors are an interdisciplinary group of scholars including sociologists, political scientists, historians, political philosophers, and legal scholars. Their essays have a coherence that is unusual in a collection of this kind; well written and accessible, they avoid the trap of disciplinary inwardness that can make such collections indigestible to the lay reader.” — Alliance Magazine -- “An important contribution to this emerging debate. While most writing on this subject is breathless or cynical, the ten chapters that make up Philanthropy in Democratic Societies, edited by Stanford political scientistRob Reich,along withChiara CordelliandLucy Bernholz,present a balanced picture of the history, theory, and role of philanthropy.” |
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| Physical Description: | 352 Seiten |
| ISBN: | 978-0-226-33578-0 |