φιλάνθρωπος

Philanthropist combines Greek philein (to love) with anthrōpos (human being). In ancient Greek, philanthrōpia described the quality of being humane, generous, and benevolent — it was applied to gods and rulers who showed kindness to those beneath them. Prometheus, who stole fire for humanity, was called philanthropos. The word described the character of the giver, not the size of the gift.

The modern sense — a wealthy person who donates large sums to public causes — emerged in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Francis Bacon used 'philanthropy' in 1612 to mean goodwill toward mankind. By the nineteenth century, the word had attached itself to the great industrial fortunes: Andrew Carnegie published 'The Gospel of Wealth' in 1889, arguing that the rich had a duty to distribute their surplus. Carnegie's word for this duty was philanthropy.

Carnegie built 2,509 libraries. John D. Rockefeller founded the University of Chicago and the Rockefeller Foundation. Andrew Mellon endowed the National Gallery of Art. The word 'philanthropist' became inseparable from wealth during the Gilded Age. The Greek ideal of loving humanity was narrowed to a financial transaction: write a large check, become a philanthropist.

The word's modern critics argue that philanthropy allows the wealthy to control public goods without democratic accountability. A philanthropist decides which problems are worth solving and which institutions deserve funding. The Greek philánthrōpos gave fire. The modern philanthropist gives a building with their name on it. The love may be genuine. The power dynamic has changed.