Obligations of Justice and Beneficence to Aid the Severely Poor

Ashford, Elizabeth

doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199739073.003.0003

Cited by 26 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…Communitarian ethics is predicated on a rejection of individualism, whether in its stronger or weaker forms (Bell 1993). Since people are rooted in communities, they incur obligations to one another in a system of collective responsibilities of which charitable endeavours form an integral part (Ashford 2011;Putnam 2000). Fairness and justice, as desirable social goals, cannot be attained simply through the promotion of individual rights, something more is needed: collective interventions to countermand the consequences of individualistic processes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…107-116). Only in recent times, however, has the dominant narrative of philanthropy been subject to rigorous critical review, challenging its efficacy as a vehicle for social justice (Ashford 2011(Ashford , 2018Eikenberry and Mirabella 2018;Kohl-Arenas 2016;McGoey 2012;Reich 2017;Roy et al 2016). Peter Singer (2009Singer ( , 2015 and other writers on effective altruism (MacAskill 2015), have been especially vocal in arguing from a utilitarian perspective that present-day philanthropy is both inadequate, insufficiently beneficent, and misdirected.…”

Section: Ethics and Philanthropymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ameliorating the consequences of low pay, unemployment and natural disasters is illustrative; foodbanks being heir to the medieval tradition of alms giving, the better-off seeking to relieve the suffering of those in dire need. Customary philanthropy thus suggests that many individuals are driven to care through benevolence, satisfying obligations of beneficence by showing adequate concern for others (Ashford 2011).…”

Section: Ethics and Customary Philanthropymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Customary philanthropy thus prizes social cohesion while tolerating the continued existence of inequalities. Putnam (2000) suggests that engaging in community life is by far the greatest driver of philanthropy, motivated not by self-interest, but by the desire to support those who have supported them (Ashford 2011).…”

Section: Ethics and Customary Philanthropymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Philanthropy is over and above taxation, it is voluntary, and the generosity of donors would likely evaporate without personal identification with the causes supported. It is possible therefore that some worthy causes may not be supported (Ashford 2011). This is thought unlikely by committed communitarians, who argue that philanthropists in tune with community narratives are best placed to identify and combat the most challenging social problems (MacIntyre 1992).…”

Section: Ethics and Customary Philanthropymentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Ethics of Entrepreneurial Philanthropy

2020

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A salient if under researched feature of the new age of global inequalities is the rise to prominence of entrepreneurial philanthropy, the pursuit of transformational social goals through philanthropic investment in projects animated by entrepreneurial principles. Super-wealthy entrepreneurs in this way extend their suzerainty from the domain of the economic to the domains of the social and political. We explore the ethics and ethical implications of entrepreneurial philanthropy through systematic comparison with what we call customary philanthropy, which preferences support for established institutions and social practices. We analyse the ethical statements made at interview by 24 elite UK philanthropists, 12 customary and 12 entrepreneurial, to reveal the coexistence of two ethically charged narratives of elite philanthropic motivations, each instrumental in maintaining the established socioeconomic order. We conclude that entrepreneurial philanthropy, as an ostensibly efficacious instrument of social justice, is ethically flawed by its unremitting impulse toward ideological purity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ethics and Philanthropymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ethics and Customary Philanthropymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ethics and Customary Philanthropymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ethics and Customary Philanthropymentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Ethics of Entrepreneurial Philanthropy

2020

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When worlds collide: Non‐state actors, philanthropy and the commercial promotion of fertility control options in developing countries

Wale

Rowlands

2022

Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing

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The purpose of this study is an ethical evaluation of the role of transnational philanthropic and commercial actors in the promotion and implementation of fertility control and family planning programmes in developing countries around the world. In particular, we consider the application, extension and association of collective and individualist ethical justifications to these actors. Our aim is to achieve a better understanding of the rights and obligations that different stakeholders might hold in this arena. We use a critical theoretical lens to examine conventional ethical discourse and literature to develop a fresh conceptual understanding of the arguments applicable to philanthropic and commercial actors in the context of fertility control and family planning. Whilst complex multi-stakeholder arrangements make ethical assessment challenging, caution ought to be exercised in the application and extension of conventional state-based justifications for fertility control or family planning to these transnational non-state actors. Collective justifications or interests cannot be automatically extended to cover the activities of these organisations and actors in this context. Potential conflicts of interest and inequalities in the power dynamics between stakeholders are all too apparent. The lack of direct accountability and transparency of action also raises questions about the building of philanthropic partnerships and the appropriate degree of state and international oversight. State and philanthropic/commercial interests are unlikely to be aligned when the transformative goals of the latter promote self-sufficiency and individualist agendas. This paper contributes to ethical knowledge of and literacy in philanthropic activities in the arena of family planning, sexual and reproductive health and fertility control. It offers guidance for the evaluation of these contributions and the development of global philanthropic partnerships.

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Charitable Giving (Peter Singer)

Stafforini¹

2018

Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science

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Obligations of Justice and Beneficence to Aid the Severely Poor

Cited by 26 publications

References 0 publications

The Ethics of Entrepreneurial Philanthropy

The Ethics of Entrepreneurial Philanthropy

When worlds collide: Non‐state actors, philanthropy and the commercial promotion of fertility control options in developing countries

Charitable Giving (Peter Singer)

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