« The Coverage of Philanthropy | Main | On Donor Intent - $10's Worth »

January 20, 2006

New Philanthropists Confound Left and Right

Thoughtful, well-researched article by Howard Husok on  entrepreneurial philanthropy for, well, the deserving poor.  Rather than helping those most in need the thought is to help those who help themselves as best they can. Rather than social change as the goal, or justice, the hope is to incentivize and assist self-reliance, while recognizing that those who have been left behind deserve a fair chance. While the article tries to create a certain polemical edge by suggesting that the new philanthropy flies in the face of established liberal traditions, or "old philanthropy," good programs that work as ventures should be considered a pretty non-controversial good thing in themselves. What you are left with are the undeserving, demoralized, indigent, or handicapped poor, those from whom no venture will turn a profit. Now with sacredness of human life agreed upon by all concerned what will we do with those who are well and truly broken? Let them die in the streets as an example to the others? But what of the smell and disruption of pedestrian traffic? Have the undeserving dig their own mass graves? What?

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341ccc8253ef00d834a3850f69e2

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference New Philanthropists Confound Left and Right:

Comments

About

Giving Blogs

Alexa Ranking

Carnival Chat Box

Resources