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Are
today’s philanthropists akin to the robber barons of old, who sought to
cover up corporate misdeeds by giving to worthy causes? Are their egos
the driving force behind giving? Or are they true humanitarians solely
interested in the betterment of society?
According to Matthew Bishop, who along with Michael Green, coauthored
Philanthrocapitalism: How the Rich Can Save
the
World (Bloomsbury Press, 2008), it is very much the latter. Bishop, the
award-winning New York bureau chief for the Economist, says Bill Gates
is the “leader of the pack” in this regard. Gates became interested in
philanthropy when, as Bishop says, he read a “very dusty World Bank
report on investment in health in the developing world and realized
there were many diseases taking millions of lives that could be cured
and that he could help.”
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Distinguished company: Bill Clinton and Bill Gates with author Matthew Bishop |
It
was Warren Buffet’s announcement in June 2006 that he would part with
much of his wealth – and do it through the Gates Foundation – that
actually inspired Bishop and Green to take an in-depth look at the
mindset of the world’s biggest givers. “It seemed to me,” said Bishop,
“that this announcement provided a unique moment in human history,
one that required explanation. Who were these people? Why did they do
it? Were they part of some broader phenomena? And, above all, could
they succeed?”
In finding the answers to these questions, Bishop
spoke to a bevy of business leaders, politicians, and celebrities. In
addition to Buffet and Gates, the list includes New York Mayor Michael
Bloomberg, Colombian pop star Shakira, actress Angelina Jolie, and CNN
founder Ted Turner.
Bishop said he was surprised by how
connected all these people were. “It was fascinating to see how much
goes on behind the scenes, how often they get together to talk and
learn from each other.” The author also observed that philanthropy is
going from a “craft industry to a professional, modern operation
designed around the question of how to solve problems effectively.” He
went on to say that this even applied to celebrities like Jolie, who
“at face value you think how in the world could she know about
anything, she’s just a film star. Then you discover that she has quite
a professional organization supporting her and that she is quite
thoughtful about the issues she wants to confront.”
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