Corporate Social Responsibility: History and Development Essay Example

Throughout history corporations have been able to generate an abundance of wealth for its stock holders. Since the inception of the first modern corporation the idea of giving back to society has been an issue. Corporate Social Responsibility began as a form of paternalistic philanthropy in the early 18th century and by the early 20th century has developed into necessary year round contributions. This paper traces CSR through the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, and also includes are major historical landmarks in the development of the corporation. It is virtually impossible to speak of the development of the modern CSR movement and not discuss the development of the corporation, because the development of the corporation was instrumental in the development of the modern CSR movement. Early CSR consisted of paternalistic philanthropy. After the industrial revolution it manifested in the form of employers providing utopian communities, consisting of housing, libraries, churches, parks, and hospitals, for their employees and their families. During the pre modern CSR movement the government was the primary force in mandating and enforcing socially responsible behavior by corporations. Legislation that protected corporate stakeholders was the foundation of the pre modern CSR. Then in the modern CSR movement the primary proponent of CSR became mainstream society, and the new foundation of CSR became the citizen. People formed coalitions were able to bring some of the country's largest corporations to the bargaining table. The change from governmental to stakeholder governance and stakeholder enforcement of corporate accountability ushered in modern CSR. Increased corporate governance, increased awareness in corporate wrong doing, more apparent effects on the environment, and corporate desires to be good citizens, have been the defining factors of modern CSR. At the dawn of human civilization, the impact of economic activity on the environment became an