Showing a desire to help people and improve human welfare, usually through charitable giving or volunteer work.
From Greek 'philanthropia' combining 'philos' (loving) and 'anthropos' (human). The concept became especially important during the Enlightenment when wealthy individuals began organizing systematic charitable efforts.
Ancient Greek philosophers actually invented the word to describe a kind of love for humanity as a whole, but the modern philanthropic movement really took off when industrialists in the 1800s realized they could shape society through strategic donations—which meant power came with the charity!
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