# Philanthrocapitalism: How Giving Can Save the World

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/books/philanthrocapitalism-how-giving-can-save-the-world/
- Published: 2009-01-01T23:07:00+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**A new generation of super-rich donors — Gates, Soros, Buffett — is bringing the
tools of business to the business of changing the world. Matthew Bishop and Michael
Green coined the term “philanthrocapitalism” to describe this phenomenon, and in
this landmark book they examine what it means for charity, democracy, and the future
of giving.**

When Warren Buffett pledged the bulk of his $44 billion fortune to the Bill and 
Melinda Gates Foundation, it was the largest act of private philanthropy in history.
It was also a signal that something fundamental was shifting in the world of giving.
A new kind of philanthropist had arrived: wealthy beyond the imagination of earlier
generations, impatient with the traditional methods of charity, and determined to
apply the disciplines of venture capital and business strategy to solving the world’s
most intractable problems.

Matthew Bishop, US Business Editor of _The Economist_, and Michael Green coined 
the term “philanthrocapitalism” to describe this emerging force. In this wide-ranging
and provocative book, they profile the key players — Gates, Buffett, Soros, Oprah,
Google’s founders, and dozens of others — and assess what their rise to philanthropic
dominance means.

 * [**Buy the book**](https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1408121581?tag=219)

The philanthrocapitalists believe they can achieve things that governments and traditional
charities cannot: moving faster, taking greater risks, and applying rigorous measurement
to what works and what doesn’t.

## Do philanthropists truly fill the gaps that governments and markets leave?

But the book is not uncritical. Alliance Magazine’s interview with the authors pressed
them hard on the democratic deficit at the heart of philanthrocapitalism: when the
super-rich have so much unaccountable power to shape public life, is this a sign
of a healthy or a sick society? The authors’ answer — that philanthrocapitalists
fill gaps that government and markets leave, and that the best of them actively 
seek to empower communities rather than impose solutions — is persuasive but contested.

For UK fundraisers and charity leaders, _Philanthrocapitalism_ is essential reading
for understanding the mindset of major donors who have been shaped by this global
movement, and for thinking clearly about the opportunities and risks that large-
scale strategic philanthropy brings to the sector.

The book was originally published in the USA by Bloomsbury Press (2008).

## **About Matthew Bishop** and Michael Green

**Matthew Bishop** is the US Business Editor and New York Bureau Chief of _The Economist_.
He has reported on business and economics for over twenty years and has written 
extensively on philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. **Michael Green** is an
economist and writer who has worked for the British government and various think
tanks. Together they also wrote _The Road from Ruin: A New Capitalism for a Big 
Society_.

## **Reviews**

> “Philanthrocapitalism is transforming our world, and this thoughtful and well-
> researched book provides the essential guide to understanding how and why.”
> **
> Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum**

> “Bishop and Green offer a thought-provoking overview of the new philanthropy. 
> Whether you are a fan of philanthrocapitalism or a sceptic, this book will challenge
> you.”
> **Caroline Hartnell, _Alliance Magazine_**

> “An important book about a growing phenomenon that deserves more critical scrutiny
> than it usually receives.”
> _**Financial Times**_