Philanthropy universally has a positive connotation, but the meaning of the word itself is often interpreted differently even by philanthropists. Andrew Carnegie and Jane Addams were both upper class members in the 19th century who believed that wealth should be utilized to aid those in the lower class towards prosperity. Both Carnegie and Addams scorned the popular idea of the upper class of wealth being entirely passed down to the next generation in a family. Their opinions were due to the harm that Carnegie witnessed and Addams experienced of the fruitless entitled offspring and the utter lack of understanding about hard work it instills. The two benefactors also rejected a grandiose lifestyle for themselves and those who had wealth and …show more content…
Carnegie states in his writing that when a person over the course of his life has collected wealth in such abundance that by the end of their life there is a surplus, bequeathing it for public purposes is viewed by Carnegie as a thoughtless institution that only allowed the benefactor to be of any good to the world once he had left it. Additionally Carnegie says of bequeathing that it is an act of selfishness due to the sole reason for the donation is because the benefactor cannot use those funds posthumously. In other words, Carnegie’s opinion of proper philanthropy when there is an excess of wealth would be for the benefactor, while he is still living, to find a common good to bring their superior service to only the poor who desired to better themselves and simply needed a leg up. In utter contrast, Addams revoked the idea that philanthropy was simply about excess, but was about truly giving not only of the money that she had an abundance, but more vitally giving of her time, emotions, and her advocacy. In her personal life, Addams built the Hull House in order to aid immigrants and other lower class members find community, education, and aid that was dignified. Addams’s also believed that selfless and copious compassion was not limited to only those who “deserved” to be helped as Carnegie believed, but she promoted the idea that everyone has a story behind their situation and no one was looked down upon in her giving. While Carnegie only gave of his excess money, Addams gave not only her personal fortune to her project, but additionally recruited her upper class friends to aid in the monetary aspect of