Contemporary Social EvilsWhich underlying problems pose the greatest threat to British society in the 21st century? A hundred years after its philanthropist founder identified poverty, alcohol, drugs and gambling among the social evils of his time, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation initiated a major consultation among leading thinkers, activists and commentators, as well as the wider public. The findings have now been brought together in this fascinating book. Individual contributors range across the political spectrum but the book also reports the results from a web survey and consultation with groups whose voices are less often heard. The results suggest that while some evils - like poverty - endure as undisputed causes of social harm, more recent sources of social misery, such as an alleged rise in selfish consumerism and a perceived decline in personal responsibility and family commitment, attract controversy. |
Contents
Social evils and social problems in Britain since 1904 | 5 |
3 | 27 |
4 | 51 |
5 | 65 |
6 | 85 |
The absence of society | 87 |
7 | 91 |
8 | 103 |
10 | 125 |
Anna Minton | 135 |
The absence of society | 147 |
investing in civil society | 169 |
Five types of inequality | 193 |
Reflections on social evils and human nature | 215 |
How the social evils consultations were organised | 233 |
9 | 115 |
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Common terms and phrases
abuse adults antisocial behaviour aspirations become believe benefits Britain British carers century concern consequences consumer consumerism contemporary social evils coping created culture decline discussion drugs and alcohol economic equality ex-offenders example experience family breakdown fear feel felt Ferdinand Mount global greed groups homeless hostel human identified immigration income individual inequality institutions issues Joseph Rowntree Foundation Julia Neuberger knife crime Labour lack less living London longer look Margaret Thatcher means mistrust moral panics moral relativism Neal Lawson neoliberal older online consultation organisations ourselves parents participants people's perceived political politicians poor poverty recognised responsibility Richard Layard role Rowntree's seen selfishness sense Shaun Bailey social capital social problems society solidarity talk things truncated opportunities trust unemployed values violence wealth welfare young youth Zygmunt Bauman