The Politics of Philanthropy in China

This working paper looks historically at business philanthropy in China. In the West, the literature has distinguished between entrepreneurial and customary philanthropy, while the phenomenon of spiritual philanthropy has been identified in many emerging markets. This working paper argues that these models do not fit the case of China, where philanthropy has always been primarily political, designed to access and protect from the political power of the government. This political philanthropy has taken an enhanced form since 2016 as the Chinese government, using the political discourse of "corporate social responsibility," has sought to guide state-owned capital and private capital into the field of philanthropy, and align the agenda of philanthropy with the policy of the central government. This is an endeavor to reshape the ethical system of Chinese society though combining the universal moral concepts of "goodness" and "mutual assistance" with the CCP’s socialist ideology. The government is also effectively creating a new economic sector – as it had done previously with green industries – which can provide social services and support, especially to underserved demographic sectors.