Neither “Philanthropy” nor “Development” A Tale of Two Buzzwords

Abstract

This article critically analyzes the concepts of '(sustainable) development' and 'philanthropy' —specifically philanthrocapitalism— within the framework of the Global Development Agenda (GDA). The authors argue that both terms are hegemonic artifacts of neoliberalism, neocolonialism, and financialization, which perpetuate North-South relations of domination. 'Development' is presented as an empty signifier and a fantasmatic narrative that, through the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs, imposes an episteme of the market. This agenda, far from being neutral, promotes an unsustainable model based on economic growth, the commodification of basic needs, and a technocratic approach that ignores the structural causes of poverty and the ecological crisis. Its financing model, enshrined in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, privileges private capital and financialization, without questioning debt, illicit flows, or an unjust international trade system. Philanthrocapitalism, in turn, is configured as the union of neoliberalism and financialization, acting as a key device of the GDA. Far from being a mere evolution of charity, it is an ideological tool that allows economic elites to set the agenda, privatize social policies, and offer technocratic solutions that do not alter the status quo. Philanthrocapitalists, operating under a business-as-usual logic, decide on problems and solutions, deepening the subalternization of the Global South. In conclusion, neither 'sustainable' development nor philanthrocapitalism offer real alternatives. Both reinforce a predatory system that impedes social and ecological justice. The authors advocate for an ontological and epistemological transition that allows for the construction of a pluriverse of alternatives to development, where many worlds can fit.