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Billionaire Foundations Aren’t the Answer — They’re PR for Oligarchy
There’s a reason every modern Robber Baron is trying to wash their image with a “charitable fund”
“There is no denying that today’s elite may be among the more socially concerned elites in history. But it is also, by the cold logic of numbers, among the more predatory in history.” — Anand Giridharadas
They’re everywhere you turn: the Bezos Family Foundation, the Gates Foundation, The Chan Zuckerberg’s Initiative, the Buffett Foundation, Start Small by Jack Dorsey, and the Larry Ellison Foundation. Literally, every mega-rich billionaire has one. Of course, corporations play the game and the Ronald McDonald Foundations of the world fit into this critique as well; they’re all a public relations stunt — and often more insidious.
It is all part of their marketing budget. They allocate a tiny portion of their ridiculously large earnings and “give back” to the community. They build a park, donate a truck of school supplies, or, as with the Gates Foundation, slide their greasy fingers into everything.
Don’t get me wrong, some are doing good. They can help some communities, can give much-needed scholarships or school funding, but it is on a small scale, and I would argue that in the bigger picture…
