During the summer I was in Arezzo (Tuscany, Italy). In that city is the museum-house of Giorgio Vasari, artist, writer, biographer, and the first art historian. His reference work with Renaissance art, published in 1550, is still used in the college banks. Did you know that Vasari served the Florentine family De Medici almost his entire life?

That same summer vacation I had the book Erasmus. Transverse thinker Come on. A wonderful biography about Desiderius Erasmus, by historian Sandra Langereis. Erasmus Praise of Foolishness Everyone knows, his name still decorates the facade of the university in Rotterdam. Did you know that Erasmus theology could study in Paris thanks to a stipend of the Bishop of Kamerijk?

Science practice

European history is marked by intellectual philanthropy. The palaces and the art left behind by families like The Medici are the most obvious. But broader scientific practice, schools, art and culture were supported by wealthy individuals. That was not even very long ago, not even in the Netherlands. Higher education in Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Rotterdam was co-founded by Willem Hovy, Anton Philips and the triumvirate Ruijs, Mees and Van Stolk respectively. Generations students owe their education to these men.

But also ordinary citizens gave generous, often through the church, guilds, or other connections in the past. Not so long ago, for example, the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam was funded by its own reformed supporters. You may know the famous van on the mantelpiece of the reformed little luyden. With dimes and quarters, housewives across the country saved millions, with which the Medical Faculty was founded in 1950 and the VU Hospital in 1956. Something similar applied to the Catholic Universities of Nijmegen and Tilburg (current Radboud University and Tilburg University).

Slimy luyden

That time, of the generous patronage and the diligent little luyden, is over. Yes, Dutch still give generously to charities. But intellectual philanthropy hardly exists anymore.

For the drastic reduction of financial support to ideal-intellectual goals, numerous explanations can be made. The Netherlands has been desilvering since the 1960s. Membership and direct support to many organisations became less self-evident. Many tasks were also taken over by the government in the 1960s and 1990s. That was true for education, culture and the arts. The obvious need for private aid disappeared.

Society issues

The spirit of the time was also a little less concerned about the great issues of society. Democracy, peace, prosperity and freedom seemed assured. Political scientist Francis Fukuyama spoke at the beginning of the nineties of thethe end of history. And if the future is certain, then what good is philosophy, theology, books, art and intellectual debate?

But now history is pounding on the door again. Democracy and peace as well as freedom and prosperity are under pressure. Let us therefore take a critical look at the public conversation on moral and ideal issues. Do we think that thinking about the viability of democracy, the debate about the new world order and the discussion about the good life are now sufficient in the Lower House and the college banks? Are the major societal issues currently well secured within the institutions of government and science (and business)?

Thinking

An example. Suppose CDA leader Henri Bontenbal or group chairman Frans Timmermans (GroenLinks-PvdA) becomes the next Prime Minister of the Netherlands. How much FTE do you think he now has at his disposal within the party to think with him about his vision for the Netherlands? There's only two or three of them. Look at the number of people employed by the Scientific Institutes of the parties.

With the exception of a few family funds and philosophical funds, there is virtually no support in the Netherlands for study and public discussion on major societal issues. There'll be a patron around here and there. However, private funding of scientific institutes (political parties), think tanks or journalistic organisations is minimal. It is therefore time for a philanthropic renaissance. Support the (young) thinkers, journalists, politicians, writers and intellectuals. We're gonna need them badly.

This article appeared on worldoffilantropie.nl