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5. Christian Socialism: a Phenomenon of Many Shapes and Variances

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5. Christian Socialism: a Phenomenon of Many Shapes and Variances Debating Poverty Christian and Non-Christian Perspectives on the Social Question in Britain, 1880-1914 Dissertation zur Erlangung des philosophischen Doktorgrades an der Philosophischen Fakultät der Georg-August-Universität Göttingen vorgelegt von Angelika Maser aus München Göttingen 2009 1 1. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Bernd Weisbrod Seminar für Neuere und Neueste Geschichte Georg-August-Universität Göttingen 2. Gutachterin: Prof. Dr. Ilona Ostner Institut für Soziologie Georg-August-Universität Göttingen 3. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Jan-Ottmar Hesse Institut für Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeschichte Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 04.08.2010 2 Eidesstattliche Erklärung Hiermit versichere ich an Eides statt, dass ich die eingereichte Dissertation „Debating Poverty. Christian and Non-Christian Perspectives on the Social Question in Britain, 1880-1914“ selbständig und ohne unerlaubte Hilfe verfasst habe. Anderer als der von mir angegebenen Hilfsmittel und Schriften habe ich mich nicht bedient. Alle wörtlich oder sinngemäß den Schriften anderer Autorinnen und Autoren entnommenen Stellen habe ich kenntlich gemacht. Die Abhandlung ist noch nicht veröffentlicht worden und noch nicht Gegenstand eines Promotionsverfahrens gewesen. Angelika Maser Göttingen, den 25.09.2009 3 Acknowledgements Like many doctoral theses, this one has taken a lot longer than planned. Along the way, many people have helped me with my work and supported me through difficult periods. To them it is owed that this study has finally become reality. I started work on this thesis as a scholar at the graduate research group „The Future of the European Social Model“ (DFG-Graduiertenkolleg „Die Zukunft des Europäischen Sozialmodells“) at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen. I would like to thank the German Research Foundation for the scholarship I received. I also benefitted from the lively discussions and friendly atmosphere within the research group and many of my fellow-graduate students have now become close friends. My advisor, Prof. Dr. Bernd Weisbrod, accepted me as a PhD student and offered me the scholarship in the graduate research group without knowing me or my work and I am very grateful for his trust in me and for his readiness to embark with me on this undertaking. I am also very grateful to Prof. Jose Harris from St. Catherine's College, Oxford, for her advise and support and for making it possible for me to spend time at Oxford. Lastly, I would like to mention the help I received from my father and my friends Kathrin and Tina who read through various parts of the thesis and gave valuable comments on them. My greatest thanks, however, go to my family and my friends – for bearing with me. 4 Table of Contents Part I – The Setting Introduction..........................................................................................................................................8 1. A Re-definition of the Social Question........................................................................................8 2. The Churches and their Roles in Modern Industrialised Society..............................................14 3. The Influence of Ideas and Values in Politics and the Role of Political Thought as Potential Directive of Policy-Making...........................................................................................................21 4. The Rise of Social Theology in Victorian Britain......................................................................30 5. Christian Socialism: A phenomenon of many shapes and variances.........................................35 6. The Design of the Thesis...........................................................................................................40 Chapter 1 – Some Aspects of the Intellectual Context of Late-Victorian and Early-Edwardian Social Reform................................................................................................................................................43 1. The Intellectual Context and the Contemporary Debate on Social Reform..............................43 2. The Political Setting: New Liberalism, Fabianism and the Rainbow Circle as Examples of the Institutionalised Progressive Movement........................................................................................54 Part II – Debating Poverty: The Thinkers and their Arguments Chapter 2 - Stewart Duckworth Headlam and the Socialist Message of Christ ................................64 1. Biographical Data: Stewart Headlam .......................................................................................64 2. Stewart Headlam's Social Theology..........................................................................................68 3. Headlam's Political Agenda.......................................................................................................73 4. The Limits of Socialism and the Kingdom of Heaven..............................................................87 Chapter 3 - William Booth and In Darkest England...........................................................................90 1. Biographical Data: William Booth............................................................................................90 2. The Salvation Army: Caring for the Soul through the Body.....................................................92 3. In Darkest England and the Way Out: Booth’s Social Scheme.................................................96 4. The Individual as Focal Point of Booth's Social Thought.......................................................102 5. Back to the Land......................................................................................................................107 6. Education: An Essential in Social Reform...............................................................................113 7. Voluntarism or State Responsibility?.......................................................................................114 Chapter 4 - Henrietta Barnett and the Redeeming Powers of Community.......................................118 1. Biographical Data: Henrietta Barnett.......................................................................................118 2. Barnett's Ideological Position: Between Individual Growth and National Wealth – Between Voluntarism and State Aid...........................................................................................................121 3. The Basic Evil: Social Division...............................................................................................127 4. Towards Social Reform: The Magic Formula of Individuality in Community.......................132 5. Bringing out Individuality in the Poor.....................................................................................135 7. Poor Law Reform ....................................................................................................................140 8. Housing as the Key to Social Salvation: Hampstead Garden Suburb.....................................142 5 Chapter 5 – Percy Alden and Poverty as a Complex National Question..........................................147 1. Biographical Data: Percy Alden .............................................................................................147 2. Poverty – A National Question................................................................................................149 3. Unemployment: Its Causes and Cures.....................................................................................151 4. Unemployment: The Need for Classification..........................................................................154 5. Housing: The National Repercussions of Destitute Housing..................................................166 Chapter 6 - Clementina Black and Underpayment: The Root Evil of Modern Industrial Society...176 1. Biographical Data: Clementina Black.....................................................................................176 2. The Problem of Underpayment................................................................................................180 3. Some Mistaken Opinions on the Issue of Underpayment........................................................183 4. The Causes of Underpayment..................................................................................................189 5. Alternative Models of Economic Organisation and Existing Checks Against Free Competition .....................................................................................................................................................192 6. The Costs to the Community and the Need for Collective Interference..................................195 7. Possible Solutions: Wage Boards and Courts of Arbitration...................................................200 Chapter 7 - Leo George Chiozza Money and the Error of Distribution...........................................204 1. Biographical Data: Leo George Chiozza Money.....................................................................204 2. Society as the Main Beneficiary of Reform.............................................................................205 3. The Conquest of Nature and Triumph of Civilisation.............................................................207 4. The Error of Distribution.........................................................................................................209 5. The Limits of Existent Checks on Unrestricted Competition and the Need for a Strong
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