What is philanthropy in the European context? It includes not only generous gestures by aristocrats but also systemic efforts to reform society, from health and education to human rights. Let’s examine how philanthropy developed in different European countries and how it has influenced the modern idea of the state, society, and humanity.
Great Britain
Until the 18th century, charity in England was mainly ecclesiastical: it was managed by parish congregations and city guilds. By mid-century, however, a new type of social initiative was taking shape in London: voluntary associations that set themselves ambitious goals.
An example is the Foundling Hospital, founded by Thomas Coram. It was the first children’s charity in the country, laying the foundations for mass social assistance. The Marine Society, founded by Jonas Hanway, was a model of philanthropic mobilization of resources for the national interest, in this case, strengthening the navy.
By the nineteenth century, philanthropy was becoming fashionable among the middle class. Hundreds of organizations are dedicated to alleviating poverty, building housing, and promoting education. The idea of “five percent philanthropy” appears, an investment with a moderate profit and social return. This is the first attempt to combine business and good deeds.
France
French philanthropy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries developed in close connection with science and public health. The Pasteur Institute becomes a symbol of the transition from patronage to scientific partnership: private donations and public grants are directed to specific tasks, such as vaccine production.
The Red Cross, founded in the 1860s, plays an important role in the formation of civil society. In the interwar period, the new idea of funding public goods through national lotteries to avoid raising taxes in years of crisis emerged.
American philanthropists also play a significant role: the Rockefeller Foundation helps France to reform its health care system and create an infrastructure for training doctors and nurses, thus strengthening not only the health of the nation but also international ties.
Germany
The nineteenth-century German model of philanthropy relied on bourgeois initiatives. After the revolution of 1848, the middle class lacked political power, so it found another form of influence through support for universities, gymnasiums, museums, and medical institutions.
Religion brought diversity: Catholics, Protestants, and Jewish communities developed their own charitable structures, each with its own ethical and social attitudes. The principle of “civil society” was so strong in Germany that it was German institutions, from kindergartens to research universities, that became export models. However, the devastation of the twentieth century, especially after two world wars and the Nazi dictatorship, seriously undermined this sector. Only with the economic recovery in the 1950s did Germany begin to rebuild its tradition of private social responsibility.
Switzerland
The model of humanitarian neutrality proposed by the Swiss Henri Dunant proved revolutionary. The Red Cross, founded in 1863, did not just treat soldiers on the front lines.
It became a global aid structure capable of operating in war and political conflict.
During World War II, the organization played a critical role in helping prisoners of war. Despite criticism from the Allies for not being tough enough on the Nazis, it was the Red Cross that created the basis for the postwar humanitarian architecture.
Eastern Europe and Belgium
During World War I, an unprecedented humanitarian campaign emerged in occupied Belgium and northern France. The Relief Commission for Belgium (CRB), funded mainly by the Americans, organized the delivery of food for millions of people. This was the first time in history that an international private initiative surpassed the actions of states in scope and effectiveness.
After the war, American aid extended to Eastern Europe. The ARA organization supplied food to millions of people even in Soviet Russia. This experience became a precedent for what is now called emergency relief and cross-border philanthropy.
Philanthropy as a European Heritage
The history of European philanthropy is not just about good intentions. It is a response to change, a way for societies to adapt to crises and new challenges.
From London to Geneva, from Paris to Berlin, the ideas of social responsibility, voluntary aid, and civic participation have become part of European political culture.
Today, when new models of sustainable development, social entrepreneurship, and equitable resource redistribution are being discussed, this historical experience allows us to ask an important question: How can private initiative work for the public good, and where is the boundary between aid and power?