Patient altruism (sometimes called patient longtermism) is the view that individuals can have a greater positive impact by investing current altruistic resources and spending them later than by spending them now. These resources include both financial and non-financial resources.
The narrower view that altruists should invest and later donate financial resources, instead of donating them now, is sometimes called patient philanthropy, although these expressions are sometimes used interchangeably.
Further reading
Baumann, Tobias (2020) Thoughts on patient philanthropy, Reducing Risks of Future Suffering, September 8.
Todd, Benjamin (2020) The emerging school of patient longtermism, 80,000 Hours, August 7.
Trammell, Philip (2021) Dynamic public good provision under time preference heterogeneity: Theory and applications to philanthropy, unpublished.
Wiblin, Robert, Howie Lempel & Keiran Harris (2020) How becoming a “patient philanthropist” could allow you to do far more good, 80,000 Hours, March 17.
Interview with Phil Trammell.
Related entries
hinge of history | investing | longtermism | timing of philanthropy