On The Development And The Social Influences Of American Philanthropy In The Progressive Era

There are two main phases about the development of philanthropy in American history,the Progressive Era is the divide.Although the charity beneficence has continued to develop,the model and the experience have mainly come from Europe,especially from Britain,with the emphasis on curing the symptoms before the era;Afterwards,the philanthropy has evolved into professionalization,systematization,scientization and modernization,the American model and the development experience have been vigorously imitated and learned,shifting the emphasis to cure the disease,it is during the era that the great change has taken place,and also the change from liberal capitalism to monopoly capitalism.Because of the industrialization,urbanization and modernization,serious social contradictions and crises have appeared in America,in the process of solving various social problems,especially the extreme disparity between the rich and the poor,the generalization of the poverty and the relevant problems caused by the disparity and poverty,the philanthropy has been booming,and hence scientific philanthropic ideas and foundations has emerged,also,philanthropic activities led by such various kinds social forces as the evangelical clergymen and the new female intellectuals.From then on,the philanthropic thoughts and deeds have been intent to look for the root which have caused social problems like poverty and thoroughly solve them instead of simply material relief,a great deal of essential transformation has taken place about the philanthropic rout.The Progressive Era serves as a bridge between past and future for American philanthropic development.The development of the new-style philanthropy is of great importance to the transformation of American society into a modem world,the reconstruction of American values,the popularization of American philanthropy culture,the formation of the responsible spirit of the new-style entrepreneurs and the benign relationship between the government and the new-style philanthropy.Only if we know the philanthropic evolution at the era,can we better know today's philanthropic developing direction and tendency,better learn about American philanthropic ideas and model,and then better optimize and help the philanthropy in our country to make big progressWith historical vertical comparative research method,the dissertation has clearly sorted out the development skeleton of the philanthropic components and features,and on the basis,focusing on the importance of its transformation,along with its backgrounds,historical process,components,features and social influences.The thesis is divided into six major parts:The first part mainly explain the subject source,the research purpose and value,the research emphasis,difficulties and innovation points,the research methods and the research overview,also the related concepts.The second part mainly introduces the backgrounds of American new-style philanthropy,including the emergence of American charity ideas,the influence of traditional European philanthropic culture to America,and retrospects the development history,main contents and traits of American philanthropy before the Progressive Era.The third part mainly analyzes the relationship between the social crises and the emergence of American new-style philanthropy,involving the inequality of the economic development,the protest of the social justice forces and the guidance of the religious culture.The fourth part uses four illustrative cases-independent foundations,community foundations,Social Gospel Movements and Community Service Movements by entrepreneurs,religious persons and new female intellectuals,by the way of developing new-style philanthropy,trying to solve social crises,and point out it's special characteristics different from former charity behavior.The fifth part deumonstrates the social functions of new-style philanthropy in Aumerica,embracing promoting the social changes,remolding traditional social values,improving the quality of citizens,forming responsible entrepreneur spirits and the benign relationship between the government and the new-style philanthropy.The last part analyses and summarizes the current situation,characteristics and developing tendency of today's China's philanthropy cause on the basis of foregoing,finally indicating the necessity and importance of American ideas,model and experience in the progress of philanthropic development.