ABSTRACT
This chapter positions philanthropy and humanitarianism in relation to each other as well as to older forms of charity and futurist assumptions about the welfare of society. Big philanthropy and humanitarian reason often function both as exercises in power and methods of control. Philanthropy is similarly implicated in forms of reparative capitalism that shore up failing markets, while simultaneously instilling even stronger beliefs in market solutions to social problems. In the neoliberal era, humanitarianism and philanthropy are saturated with affective sensibilities of compassion and entrepreneurial forms of activism distrustful of institutionalized responses to political problem solving; this results in new forms of philanthropic activity that reject state-led interventions and privilege social relations across borders and individualized forms of care at a global level. The growth of monopoly philanthropy parallels the expansion of new forms of humanitarian governance.
