2015/09/01 by Joan Roelofs · 1 citation
Business, Management and Accounting · Social Sciences · #Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering #Political Influence and Corporate Strategies #Public Policy and Administration Research
paper · doi:10.1111/ajes.12112
crossref issued 2015/09/01 · crossref published 2015/09/01 · crossref published-print 2015/09/01 · openalex publication_date 2015/09/01 · crossref published-online 2015/09/07 · crossref created 2015/09/07 · crossref deposited 2023/10/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/07/29 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Abstract Foundations (and philanthropy in general) have great political power in the United States and worldwide, yet this is hardly noted by political analysts or journalists. Their power is exerted in many ways, such as by funding progressive organizations and movements; sponsoring policy “think tanks” and organizations of public officials; influencing the political culture through media, academic researchers, and university programs (including public interest law in law schools); and co‐opting activists and potential rebels among the rich and poor. Because of their resources and prestige, they are powerful members of coalitions and collaborations with overt and covert government departments, U.N. agencies, universities, and nongovernmental organizations. Foundations have been major actors in the “Cold War,” which continues as the attempt to deflect any movement towards socialism here or abroad. Globalization has amplified the power of foundations, for many of the global institutions were created by foundations and continue to be fostered by them. The sponsorship of civil society institutions worldwide by private foundations, now with additional billions from governments and international governmental institutions, supports U.S. hegemony: military, political, and economic. We cannot know what the world would have been like absent foundation activities, but the current one does not appear to have a democratic, peaceful, or sustainable future.