# Book review – Philanthropy: From Aristotle To Zuckerberg

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/10/23/book-review-philanthropy-from-aristotle-to-zuckerberg/
- Published: 2020-10-23T17:09:41+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Philanthropy: From Aristotle To Zuckerberg (Bloomsbury Publishing) is a barnstorming
romp through the origins of charity giving right through to a timely challenge of
today’s philanthrocapitalists power in world development and civil society. In doing
so, it is a helpful contribution to the ongoing debate about the common belief that
all philanthropy is problematic.**

 

Author and journalist, Paul Vallely (_Pope Francis: Untying the Knots_ and co-writer
of Bob Geldolf’s autobiography _Is That It?_) aims in his in-depth analysis to reunite
the spiritual dimension of philanthropy together with modern philanthropy. This 
is where big businessmen, who have made huge fortunes in the high-tech world, are
pursuing a kind of philanthropy which is top-down, fact-driven and very much to 
do with data and measurements. Ultimately, the author questions whether we have 
lost sight of the spiritual roots of true philanthropy in pursuit of big business
efficiency that is secretly shaping our world.

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**The author’s true mission, as we journey with him, is to bring us full circle,
drawing us back to philanthropy being a symbiotic relationship between the giver,
the receiver and the society in which they both live.**

 

Researched and written over six years, Paul Valley provides readers with a detailed
and vivid travelogue through the ages of how philosophy, state, religion, institutions
and the mega-rich have all shaped philanthropy. We come to understand how the heart
of giving has been removed through the generations and replaced by the head, highlighting
the general disconnect of today’s super philanthropists’ relationship with their
beneficiaries. The author’s true mission, as we journey with him, is to bring us
full circle, drawing us back to philanthropy being a symbiotic relationship between
the giver, the receiver and the society in which they both live.

 

 

 

![Paul Vallely's book Philanthropy: from Aristotle to Zuckerberg](https://wfay6x.
infiniteuploads.cloud/2020/10/paul-vallely-philanthropy-book-table.jpg)

 

 

 

Although we wander off down various side paths of interest during our chronologic
journey, where readers will enjoy the references to Santa Claus and nursery rhymes,
for example, Paul Vallely uses the past and present constantly to challenge our 
future. Does charity create dependency? Does benevolence deprive the poor of their
autonomy and dignity? Is everything best left to the State? Do billionaire philanthropists
present threats to democracy? Is there good and bad philanthropy – and who decides?
What does any of this do to the soul?

 

This fact-filled philanthropic voyage of discovery helpfully has its [own source notes website](https://philanthropyatoz.com/)
and chapter bookends of fascinating interviews with today’s philanthropists, theologians
and leading thinkers who are interested or have a stake in civil society. These 
include Richard Branson, Eliza Manningham-Buller, David Sainsbury, Bob Geldolf, 
Naser Haghamen, Lenny Henry, Jonathan Sacks, Rowan Williams and Ngaire Woods amongst
them.

 

 

 

**“It is focused on people rather than product. It is process driven rather than
results orientated. It comes from the heart as much as the head.”**

 

 

 

As I delved into the book’s 750 plus pages, studying the triumphs and failures of
our forebears, I was reminded how we in the charity sector stand on the shoulders
of giants, providing us with insight, positive energy and hope that we can build
back better. However, philanthropists need our help to cross the rubicon of successfully
fusing together compassion with efficacy. This is explored in detail in the final
three chapters as the author brings the reader up to date with today’s super philanthropists’
behaviour and a peek into the post-pandemic world of giving. Paul Vallely implores
the big giving hitters to remember, “It [philanthropy] is focused on people rather
than product. It is process driven rather than results orientated. It comes from
the heart as much as the head.”

 

 

 

![Paul Vallely's Philanthropy book - inside dusk jacket description](https://wfay6x.
infiniteuploads.cloud/2020/10/paul-vallely-philanthropy-book-jacket.jpg)

 

 

 

**Philanthropy: from Aristotle to Zuckerberg is not just for “Fundraising Anoraks”**

 

 

 

_Philanthropy: from Aristotle to Zuckerberg_ is not just for “Fundraising Anoraks”,
but for those with any stake in civil society, whether politician or activist, believer
or atheist, anthropologist or futurologist, economists or philanthropists. In a 
never normal world, this book points to how philanthropy can rediscover its soul,
reminding us that, “Philanthropy is far more than the impulse of one driven individual”.

 

 

 

_[**Paul Pirie**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-pirie-surrey/) has held local,
national and international leadership roles in the charity sector for over 25 years.
His last role was heading up the fundraising and PR team at the Film & TV Charity.
After a short career break, he is exploring new opportunities where he can bring
his unique neurodiverse thinking skills and pragmatic charity leadership to provide
insight and strategic solutions._