What to make of the effort by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates to turn other wealthy people into megaphilanthropists?
Matthew Bishop, co-author of the book Philanthrocapitalism: How Giving Can Save the World, calls the lobbying effort a “coming of age” moment for the movement described in his book — more and more rich businesspeople using their wealth to solve social and environmental problems.
Nathaniel Whittemore, who writes a blog on social entrepreneurship on Change.org, says that if some of this money starts flowing, he hopes it will go not just to symphonies, universities, and other sorts of charities that have typically captured the largest share of rich peoples’ philanthropy.
Mr. Whittemore also says that philanthropy can’t be seen as the only, or even the main, vehicle for creating change.
“The risk here is that this new philanthropic commitment simply amplifies and reiterates the 20th century wealth narrative that says, effectively, ‘make money how and wherever, then eventually turn your attention to giving it away,’” he writes.
Instead, Mr. Whittemore says that “we need to initiate a new way of doing business,” and find business solutions to solving social problems. That’s something that, thankfully, many billionaires may already understand, says Mr. Whittemore.
What do you think of the call to give by the Gateses and Mr. Buffett?
One Response to Analyzing the Gates-Buffett Fund-Raising Drive
damestephanie - June 17, 2010 at 4:26 pm
The timing has never been better for this type of discussion, not only in the U.S. but all over the world. Just last week Dame Stephanie Shirley, the UK’s Founding Ambassador for Philanthropy, gave a key note speech for the Commonwealth Secretariat in Barbados. The audience was made up of more than 40 plus country leaders of the Commonwealth — some G-8 – G-20 — but a good number of what we might call ‘developing’ nations. Dame Stephanie’s speech put forward her story as a child immigrant to Britain during WW II, how she overcame the odds and became a tech entrepreuner, took her company public becoming very wealthy and eventually an outspoken person on the pleasure and fun of giving it all away. Strategically.Because of the positive response from the leaders in the audience, Dame Stephanie will now work and fund globally efforts to assistgovernments who desire guidance in appointing their own Ambassador(s) for Philanthropy. I salute Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and all those who speak out loud about their giving.Roberta d’EustachioChief of Staff to the UK’s Founding Ambassador for PhilanthropyDame Stephanie ShirleyLondonwww.ambassadorforphilanthropy.com