Surreal illustration of a smiling vampire giving money, symbolizing the duality of philanthrocapitalism.

Crimes of the Dominant: How Philanthrocapitalism Perpetuates Inequality

Elliot Brynn in Politics & Policy August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Unmasking the Shadowy Side of Elite Giving: Is Philanthropy Really Solving Problems, or Just Masking Them?"

Critiques of capitalism often employ metaphors of horror to depict its predatory nature. From Marx's vampire-like capital to contemporary analogies of corporate entities as monstrous creatures, these images highlight the exploitative aspects of wealth accumulation. However, these metaphors often fail to capture the 'smiling face' of capitalism, which presents a benevolent image of entrepreneurs and philanthropists.

Modern philanthrocapitalism distinguishes itself through its charm and an 'ideology of harmony,' reconciling acts of giving with profit-making. Rather than a villain, the philanthrocapitalist presents as a benevolent figure, offering market-based solutions to global problems. This article examines the social effects of these new philanthropic movements, which encourage corporate social responsibility.

Drawing from Linsey McGoey's qualitative research on major philanthropic foundations, including textual analysis of U.S. tax returns and interviews with key figures from organizations like the Gates Foundation, this article introduces fresh insights into the operations and impacts of philanthrocapitalism.

The Rise of Philanthrocapitalism and Its Discontents

Surreal illustration of a smiling vampire giving money, symbolizing the duality of philanthrocapitalism.

This article analyzes the social and economic implications of recent pro-corporate shifts within philanthropy, linking philanthrocapitalism to the concept of 'crimes of the powerful.' Developed by critical criminologists, this framework examines how dominant groups manipulate regulatory mechanisms to serve their interests while avoiding public condemnation. It posits that corporate and state criminality often result from collaborative efforts, such as governments choosing not to prosecute or enforce laws against corporate malfeasance.

While philanthrocapitalists often claim that the increased scale of philanthropic giving differentiates them from past efforts, this article argues that the structure of giving has fundamentally changed. One key development is the rise of philanthropic grants awarded directly to corporations, a practice championed by the Gates Foundation. Another trend involves billionaires establishing for-profit companies to distribute their wealth.

Distributing philanthropic grants to corporations allows companies to benefit from tax advantages
Billionaires can create for-profit companies that allow them to contribute in a way that benefits social causes and generates revenue.
These philanthropic actions are seen in a positive light and often give the impression of contributing to public good.

These shifts contribute to and amplify long-standing operational changes in how public services are delivered. However, these new approaches can be detrimental to vulnerable populations. The legitimization of delegating public services to the for-profit sector stems partly from the popularity of ultra-wealthy philanthrocapitalists like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Pierre Omidyar, who promote an ideology of 'market beneficence,' rooted in the belief that aligning corporate profits with public welfare leads to widespread prosperity.

The Illusion of Benevolence

By integrating a critique of philanthrocapitalism with studies of 'crimes of the dominant,' this analysis reveals how the social costs of extreme capital accumulation are masked by the sanctification of philanthropic giving. This sanctification provides both refuge and artifice, obscuring the social harms caused by unregulated market practices. Consequently, the capitalist enterprise deceptively appears disconnected from state support, fostering the illusion that market mechanisms are more profitable than they truly are.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.3917/pox.121.0029, Alternate LINK

Title: Le Philanthrocapitalisme Et Les « Crimes Des Dominants »

Subject: Sociology and Political Science

Journal: Politix

Publisher: CAIRN

Authors: Linsey Mcgoey, Darren Thiel, Robin West, Fanny Narcy

Published: 2018-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

What exactly is philanthrocapitalism, and how does it differ from traditional philanthropy?

Philanthrocapitalism is a modern form of philanthropy where giving is aligned with profit-making. It involves market-based solutions to global problems and often presents a benevolent image of entrepreneurs and philanthropists. A key aspect is the rise of philanthropic grants awarded directly to corporations and the establishment of for-profit companies by billionaires to distribute their wealth.

What are 'crimes of the dominant,' and how does this framework relate to the practices of philanthrocapitalism?

The framework of 'crimes of the dominant' examines how dominant groups, including corporations and states, manipulate regulatory mechanisms to serve their interests and avoid public condemnation. This often involves collaborative efforts, such as governments choosing not to prosecute or enforce laws against corporate malfeasance. Philanthrocapitalism is linked to this concept as it can obscure the social harms caused by unregulated market practices by masking the social costs of extreme capital accumulation.

How does the critique of philanthrocapitalism, when combined with studies of 'crimes of the dominant,' reveal the hidden costs of extreme capital accumulation?

The critique of philanthrocapitalism, combined with the study of 'crimes of the dominant', reveals that the sanctification of philanthropic giving masks the social costs of extreme capital accumulation. This obscures the social harms caused by unregulated market practices, fostering the illusion that market mechanisms are more profitable than they truly are. This makes the capitalist enterprise deceptively appear disconnected from state support.

What is 'market beneficence,' and how does it influence the actions of philanthrocapitalists like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg?

Market beneficence is the belief that aligning corporate profits with public welfare leads to widespread prosperity. Ultra-wealthy philanthrocapitalists like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Pierre Omidyar promote this ideology, legitimizing the delegation of public services to the for-profit sector. However, this approach can be detrimental to vulnerable populations.

How can philanthrocapitalism, despite its seemingly positive intentions, perpetuate or exacerbate social inequalities?

Critics argue that philanthrocapitalism can exacerbate social inequalities by reinforcing corporate power and obscuring the true costs of market-driven solutions. By distributing philanthropic grants to corporations and establishing for-profit companies, philanthropists can benefit from tax advantages and generate revenue, potentially amplifying long-standing operational changes in how public services are delivered while masking the potential harms to vulnerable populations. The focus on market-based solutions may also overshadow the need for systemic changes to address the root causes of inequality.