Practicable Socialism, New SeriesBarnett, S. A. (Samuel Augustus)
Religion
Practicable Socialism, New Series
Barnett, S. A. (Samuel Augustus)
Great Britain -- Social conditions -- 19th century; Social problems; Working class
organization can be enforced. The Majority Report suggests a scheme by
which charitable bodies and persons may be partly tempted and partly
constrained to co-operate with official bodies. Mr. Nunn, in an
interesting note, suggests a further development of a plan by which they
might be given a more definite place in the organization of the future.
The establishment of Public Welfare Societies in so many localities is a
proof that charitable forces are drawing together, and gives hope that
if a place is found for them in the established system they may become
powerful for good and not for mischief.
The recommendations, however, which we are now considering are not
dependent on the establishment of a Voluntary Aid Council; they depend
on the principles, as to which both Reports agree. Those principles
satisfy the suggested test. If relief in every case be subordinate to
treatment, if it be given with care and with full consideration for each
individual, there must be good hope that the relief will help and not
demoralize, stimulate and not antagonize the recipient. Everything,
however, depends on securing an authority and administrators who are
willing and able to apply the principles to action. The Majority aim, by
the substitution of nomination and co-optation for direct election, to
get an authority which will do with new wisdom the old duties of Boards
of Guardians. The Minority evidently fear that, if any body of people is
established as a relief agency, no change in the method of appointment
will prevent the intrusion of the old abuses. The Majority believe that
it is the persons on the present Boards which have caused the breakdown,
and that if all Boards were as good as the best Boards there would have
been no need for the Commission. The Minority, on the other hand,
believe that it is the system which is at fault, and that a single
authority created to deal with destitution only must fail when it is
called on to deal with many-sided human nature in its various struggles
and trials.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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