April 3, 2003 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Charity, Philanthropy, and Civility in American History
edited by Lawrence J. Friedman and Mark D. McGarvie
Most philanthropists are motivated by a passionate vision of how the world could be better, writes Lawrence J. Friedman, a professor of history and philanthropic studies at Indiana University, in Indianapolis.
These essays on the history of American philanthropy, compiled by Mr. Friedman and Mark D. McGarvie, a fellow in legal history at the New York University School of Law, discuss how numerous donors of diverse races and socioeconomic classes were guided by such visions to provide both money and service to help others, and how those philanthropists were changed by their charitable acts. One chapter, for example, talks about the pre-Civil War era, when women served others by forming charitable organizations, while at the same time gaining new legal powers and political clout for themselves.
The book examines philanthropy from the 17th century through the present, with chapters touching on the impact of court decisions, laws, religion, and world events on giving. It chronicles how wealthy people increasingly wanted to see the needy people they helped and receive their appreciation. It also documents the consequences of such giving: Donors were deluged by requests and did not know which organizations and individuals needed their gifts most or which would use them wisely. That began to change with the establishment in the late 1800s and early 1900s of foundations, which were able to coordinate requests for money and decide which ones to grant. The book also examines the development of “scientific” approaches to philanthropy by John D. Rockefeller and his contemporaries. Some foundations began giving money to support research on the causes of societal problems and the development of systemic solutions, rather than allocating grants solely to provide food and shelter.
Some of the essays question how far private charitable giving can go in solving such large-scale problems as poverty, inadequate housing, and troubled inner-city schools. Although philanthropists have made great contributions in the arts, medicine, and research, Mr. Friedman says he believes that only substantial government programs can provide adequate social services to help all those in need.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 40 West 20th Street, New York, N.Y. 10011; http://www.cambridge.org; 468 pages; $40; I.S.B.N. 0-521-81989-X.
