In May 2010, Britain's new Coalition government embarked on its journey
to the Big Society. But how did we reach this point? Politicians and
commentators have long bemoaned the supposed decline of civic life,
fretting about its health and its future. In fact, the real story of
voluntarism over the last hundred years has not been decline, but
constant evolution and change. Whether we use the terms charity,
philanthropy, civil society, non-governmental organisations, the third
sector or the Big Society, voluntary endeavour is one of the most
vibrant and dynamic areas of British public life. The senior,
established and exciting new scholars featured in this collection show
how the voluntary sector's role in society, and its relationship with
the state, has constantly adapted to its surroundings. They have raised
new agendas, tackled old problems in new ways, acted as alternatives to
statutory provision and as catalysts for further government action.
Voluntary groups have emerged out
of citizens' concerns, independent of government and yet willing to work
with politicians of all persuasions. By surveying the sheer extent and
diversity of the sector since the start of the First World War, this
volume demonstrates that voluntarism not only continues to thrive, but
is also far larger than any political agenda that may be imposed upon
it.
