Private Virtues, Public Vices

Ms. Saunders-Hastings, a political scientist at Ohio State University, believes that philanthropy is in tension with democracy-may even be harmful to it. Her critique is worth taking seriously. . . * Wall Street Journal * In Private Virtues, Public Vices: Philanthropy and Democratic Equality, Emma Saunders-Hastings reminds us that contributing private wealth for the public good-by definition-has always been a political act. . . . the book is timely-and timeless, for it goes beyond calling for reforms to suggest a framework for thinking not only about philanthropy but also about democracy, equality, and justice. * Philanthropy News Digest * The best philosophical illumination of the tension-ridden relationship between philanthropy and democracy. Better still, in exploring the institutional design of contemporary philanthropy, Saunders-Hastings makes original contributions to democratic theory itself, especially as concerns the relationship between ideal and non-ideal theory and the basis of objections to paternalism. -- Rob Reich, Stanford University Philanthropy is a hot topic these days. This crisply and clearly written book reframes the ethical discussion focused on rich people/countries' debt to those less well-off and recasts practical concerns about effective giving to focus on the politics and power of giving. Private Virtues, Public Vices poses challenging questions in this age of global inequality. Saunders-Hastings couples precise arguments with thoughtfully chosen real-world examples to convey a strong sense of urgency. -- Lisa Jane Disch, University of Michigan