Jan 15, 2009
'Philanthrocapitalism',
by Matthew Bishop and Michael Green is an examination of how
today's leading philanthropists are revolutionizing the field,
using, they believe, new methods to have a vastly greater
impact on the world.
In this book, you read that to philanthropists of the past, charity
was often a matter of simply giving money away. For the
philanthrocapitalists - the new generation of billionaires who are
reshaping the way they give - it's like business. These "social
investors", who are largely trained in the corporate world, are
using big-business-style strategies and expecting results and
accountability to match.
Bill Gates, the world's richest man, is leading the way: he has
promised his entire fortune to finding a cure for the diseases that
kill millions of children in the poorest countries in the
world.
In this book, the authors examine this new movement and its
implications. Proceeding from interviews with some of the most
powerful people on the planet - including Gates, Bill Clinton,
George Soros, Angelina Jolie, and Bono, among others - they show
how a web of wealthy, motivated donors has set out to change the
world. Their results will have huge implications: In a climate
resistant to government spending on social causes, their focused
donations may be the greatest force for societal change in our
world, and a source of political controversy.
Combining on-the-ground anecdotes, expert analysis, and up-close
profiles of the wealthy and powerful, this is a fascinating look at
a small group of people who will change an enormous number of
lives.
I recently spoke with Matthew Bishop who, before joining 'The
Economist', was on the faculty of London Business School, where he
co-authored three books for Oxford University Press. He has served
as a member of the Sykes Commission on the investment system in the
21st Century. He was also on the Advisors Group of the United
Nations International Year of Microcredit 2005. He has been honored
as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and is a
graduate of Oxford University.
More By Matthew
"I
Want to Lose a Fortune"
"Fighting Global Poverty: Who'll be Relevant in
2020?"
"View from Davos: Bono Marketing His Red Badge
of Virtue"