| Acknowledgements | 第1-4页 |
| Abstract (English) | 第4-6页 |
| Abstract (Chinese) | 第6-7页 |
| Contents | 第7-8页 |
| Chapter I Introduction | 第8-25页 |
| 1 Purpose and Validity | 第8-11页 |
| 2 Definitions and Literature Review | 第11-23页 |
| ·Charity and Philanthropy | 第11-13页 |
| ·Foundations | 第13-21页 |
| ·Definitions and Types of Foundations | 第13-15页 |
| ·Literature Review on Motivations | 第15-21页 |
| ·Pragmatism and Other Cultural Values? | 第15-17页 |
| ·Preservation of Capitalism? | 第17-18页 |
| ·A Symbol of Upper Class? | 第18-19页 |
| ·Incentive of Tax Policy? | 第19-21页 |
| ·In Search of American Spirit | 第21-23页 |
| 3 Organization of the Thesis | 第23-25页 |
| Chapter II The Establishment and Features of Modern Philanthropic Foundations | 第25-34页 |
| 1 The Establishment | 第25-31页 |
| ·Pre-Civil War Period | 第25-26页 |
| ·Post-Civil War Period | 第26-27页 |
| ·Carnegie Corporation | 第27-29页 |
| ·Rockefeller Foundation | 第29-31页 |
| 2 Features of the Early Philanthropic Foundations | 第31-34页 |
| Chapter III The Spirit of Religious Faith | 第34-46页 |
| 1 Protestant Idea about the Accumulation of Wealth | 第36-39页 |
| 2 Protestant Ideas on Charity and Philanthropy | 第39-44页 |
| ·Duty of Doing Good | 第39-41页 |
| ·Protestant View on Glorification and Philanthropy | 第41-44页 |
| 3 Protestant Faith and Foundations | 第44-46页 |
| Chapter IV The Spirit of Liberalism | 第46-60页 |
| 1 Definition and Tradition of American Liberalism | 第46-47页 |
| 2 Individualism | 第47-56页 |
| ·Individualism and Equality of Opportunity | 第47-52页 |
| ·Individualism and Associations- Rationality in Philanthropy | 第52-56页 |
| 3 Limited Government | 第56-60页 |
| Chapter V Conclusion | 第60-63页 |
| Bibliography | 第63-65页 |
