Elite philanthropy in the United States and United Kingdom in the new age of inequalities

Abstract

Elite philanthropy—voluntary giving at scale by wealthy individuals, couples and families—is intimately bound up with the exercise of power by elites. This theoretically oriented review examines how big philanthropy in the United States and United Kingdom serves to extend elite control from the domain of the economic to the domains of the social and political, and with what results. Elite philanthropy, we argue, is not simply a benign force for good, born of altruism, but is heavily implicated in what we call the new age of inequalities, certainly as consequence and potentially as cause. Philanthropy at scale pays dividends to donors as much as it brings sustenance to beneficiaries. The research contribution we make is fourfold. First, we demonstrate that the true nature and effects of elite philanthropy can only be understood in the context of what Bourdieu calls the field of power, which maintains the economic, social and political hegemony of the super‐rich, nationally and globally. Second, we demonstrate how elite philanthropy systemically concentrates power in the hands of mega foundations and the most prestigious endowed charitable organizations. Third, we explicate the similarities and differences between the four main types of elite philanthropy—institutionally supportive, market‐oriented, developmental and transformational—revealing how and why different sections within the elite express themselves through philanthropy. Fourth, we show how elite philanthropy functions to lock in and perpetuate inequalities rather than remedying them. We conclude by outlining proposals for future research, recognizing that under‐specification of constructs has hitherto limited the integration of philanthropy within the mainstream of management and organizational research.

Business as service? Human Relations and the British interwar management movement

“…Research on the impact of business on societal inequalities is ‘virtually nonexistent’, being largely absent from mainstream management journals (Bapuji, 2015: 1059). Philanthropists have emerged as eager proselytizers of social responsibility, ‘enabling them to hide behind emotionally charged discourses of giving at scale’ (Maclean et al, 2021b: 343). Companies can generate value through philanthropy (Brammer and Millington, 2008), which serves as a route to influence in society, promoting public tolerance of ‘ unequal but legitimized power’ (Mohr, 1977: 938).…”

The State of Research on Philanthropy in Europe in 2022

“…In many European countries including France (Gautier, 2019) philanthropy has become a contested concept. In the past five years, criticism of philanthropy has increased in the UK (McGoey, 2015;Maclean et al, 2021) and the US (Reich, 2018;Giridharadas, 2019).…”

When worlds collide: Non‐state actors, philanthropy and the commercial promotion of fertility control options in developing countries

“…Philanthropic foundations are generally only accountable to their trustees or commercial partners, whereas state governments are accountable to their citizens. There is some evidence that philanthropic actors are showing broader engagement in politics (Bishop, 2013; Maclean et al, 2021). In some areas of global concern, these entities have supplanted or displaced the roles traditionally performed by state actors (Bishop & Green, 2015).…”